Internship Position: Research Associate for the Creative Compact for Collective Impact Initiative
Description: The mission of the C4 Initiative (Creative Compact for Collective Impact) is to facilitate the creation of a countywide blueprint for arts education by building a collaborative network and online platform for cultural organizations and educators to support arts education in and out of the classroom in Berkshire County.
As the research associate for the C4 Initiative, my responsibilities included: conducting research for sample blueprints already in place in other states, as well as conducting research on arts integration related topics to pull rich language from found documents; identifying themes and promising practices in arts integration in education; assisting in organizing convenings as well as attending; taking notes and calling themes; and assisting in compiling the arts education blueprint.
Review: Over the three-month internship, I had an intense and rewarding experience. This position was my first internship through Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and was very beneficial. One of the interesting things about this internship was the ambiguity: I had no idea where my research was going to lead me, or what tasks were ahead in the coming weeks. During my time working with the C4 Initiative, I was able to hone my research skills. I found rich articles and studies connecting arts education to workforce development skills, as well as the power of the arts to support the development of social-emotional wellbeing in youth. These topics were at the center
of (almost) every task at hand. The tasks that I completed informed the development of a blueprint for arts education in Berkshire County. One of the sample blueprints I found was used as the model for the C4 Blueprint. The language I identified from relevant articles was used in essays that served as supporting material in the blueprint. I also created a chart that mapped arts learning to workforce development skills. I was also tasked to use my graphic design skills to create a logo and flyer that was used to promote and explain the Initiative to teens.
This experience has been a great culminating experience to my journey at MCLA. I look forward to seeing where the blueprint leads the Berkshires, my future in art and arts management, and hopefully a career in museum education.
I have had the opportunity to learn about arts integration; see the research I have compiled be applied to an educational blueprint; and apply my graphic design skills to develop a branding for the C4 project. This has been such a rewarding experience.
· Kelsey Sherman ·
Comments