cityjess84

Shannon, No problem! I'm happy to help. I actually didn't know about the CEOs in the Arts event. It sounds really interesting! I've added it to my calendar too, so I'll try to find you and say hello next week. Thanks for mentioning it! Your work at SLAC sounds fantastic! I understand connecting more with the administrative aspects of theatre. While I love performing, I never wanted to pursue it as a career. I think it'd take a lot of the fun out of it for me. I graduated from Tulane University with a B.A. in theatre. I'd intended to go to law school and study entertainment law, but I realized after one semester at George Mason University in Virginia that the law really wasn't for me. I found a job at a non-profit in DC where I discovered that I really enjoyed working with technology. I was eventually promoted into a project management role in a technology-focused department. In my spare time, I participated in a number of community theatre productions - acting, singing, assistant directing, technical theatre work, a little bit of everything. I moved to NYC when my husband got a job with Google and I now work for a social media software company, implementing our software for non-profits and associations - including a number of arts organizations. I also sing in a rock choir that performs Off-Broadway. So much fun! I decided to pursue a performing arts management degree in order combine my love of the arts and technology. After grad school, I hope to find a technology-related position at a performing arts organization. I hope I have the opportunity to meet you at the event next week! Thanks again for telling me about it. Jessica

Hi Shannon, Congrats on your interview at Columbia! I met Brann Wry and spoke to him at the open house. It wound up being pretty small - only about a dozen people - because it had been rescheduled from the original date. One of the reasons I like the program as much as I do is because he was so nice. Very informative and interested in hearing about our backgrounds as much as talking about the program. It's obvious that he loves what he does. If I remember correctly, each year they try to create a class of approximately 20-30 students. There is a wait list every year and looking at the stats on this site, it seems like at least a handful of people are admitted from it. They said that we'd get a decision by the end of March/ early April, so I think we still have a bit of waiting to do. Would you mind telling me a bit about your background and why you decided to pursue an arts management degree? I'd be happy to share my experiences as well. I live in the East Village, walking distance from Steinhardt. If you have any questions about the area or anything, just let me know. Enjoy your upcoming visit! Jessica

Hi Shannon, I also applied to NYU Steinhardt's Performing Arts Administration program. No others, since I don't want to relocate and just fell in love with their program. I went to their open house discussion and the chair specifically said that recommendation letters are one of the most important parts of the application and could really sway your admissions decision. Have you heard anything back yet? Best of luck to you! Jessica