Internships and Professional Development – Student Profiles

Nicola Wong ’24 – Marketing and Programs Intern at The Cowles Center

Where is your internship and what is your role there?

I was a marketing and programs intern at The Cowles Center, a Minneapolis performing arts center with a focus on dance.

What does a typical day look like at this job?

Each week I had a mix of independent work and virtual meetings with staff. Tuesdays I met my Cowles’ marketing and programs manager to review upcoming projects and give updates on current assignments. I was involved in a range of different projects including designs for social media posts, summary writings on relevant dance news, and application reviews to artist residencies at The Cowles. Also, as part of my introduction to their center, I met with Cowles staff in one on one interviews. These interviews allowed me to ask questions about various careers, daily work in current positions, and advice for students interested in similar work. 

What do you love about working this job?

I enjoyed exploring different aspects of marketing, administration, and media, especially in a dance nonprofit realm. Having opportunities to work in my areas of interest allowed me to personalize my intern experience and gain more clarity on directions I’d love to continue pursuing. On top of this, The Cowles Center is a very welcoming and inclusive community that always made work and meetings engaging. As the administrative home to McKnight’s 2021 dancer/choreographer fellow programs, The Cowles also connected me to this year’s fellow selection process. Taking notes during their two day panel conferences was really inspiring since I learned more about Minnesota’s lively arts community and got a unique perspective on the inner workings of an award process. 

How has your role been impacted by the pandemic?

All of my meetings were virtual. However, in many ways, this format actually gave me more time to work on projects as I wasn’t commuting to their office space downtown. I’ve gained a lot of experience from working at The Cowles Center and I was surprised at how easy it was for me to connect to staff/directors, even if it was over a screen.

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