I’m Madelyn Stewart, a singer, conductor, performer, and arts administrator. This year, I am honored to be a student in the Bolz Center for Arts Administration. I was born and raised in Northwest Louisiana, and this academic year is my first time living anywhere else! The transition wasn’t easy, but I’ve truly found a home within the Bolz family.
After completing a BA in Music, I began what I thought was a gap year working as the Administrative Assistant to the Dean of the Hurley School of Music, my alma mater. What was supposed to be a break from student-dom turned into a deep passion for making the arts accessible to everyone. This journey led to a complete transformation of my career path, bringing me here, to the Bolz Center.
I first heard of this program through a colleague and friend who was kind enough to reach out to his network via Facebook. Someone commented on his post to mention this program, and after doing my research, I fell in love. This program checked all of my boxes, and I just knew that the Bolz Center was the place for me.
The most important factor I considered when researching graduate programs was a substantial internship opportunity, and I feel so lucky to have been paired with Dr. Iva Ugrčić and the team at LunART. As their Operations Manager, I help plan our events and work to ensure that all of the logistics run as smoothly as possible. I also oversaw the implementation of a project management system that has greatly improved our efficiency and collaboration efforts. Iva is such a wonderful role model for me as a musician, entrepreneur, and friend. She regularly makes time to listen to me and my ideas, even giving me opportunities outside of my job description to experiment and learn in a safe environment. It’s been such a joy to work within the music industry once again, but also within a mission centered around women artists. I feel so passionate about this work, especially within the context of our world currently. I hope to carry this joy and passion with me throughout my career.
My long-term goal is to become the Executive Director of a music nonprofit, ideally a choral organization. Until then, I’m working to learn about this sector and gain experience in as many areas as possible. This summer, I’m excited to have been hired as an Institutional Advancement Intern at Bravo! Vail Music Festival in Colorado. I’m looking forward to diving deeper into the world of development and fundraising and meeting some exciting new people!
I’m so grateful for the experiences and mentors that have shaped my journey so far, and I’m excited for what’s ahead. Every step has brought new challenges, new growth, and deeper confidence in my path. With every new experience, I feel more certain that this is exactly where I’m meant to be — helping to shape a more inclusive, vibrant future for the arts.
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