Throughout my academic and professional career, I’ve always had a hard time “picking a lane.”
In my time as an undergrad student in Colorado, I changed my major three times, ran my college newspaper, was the lead in a pirate musical, interned as a museum educator, and minored in creative writing — all before finishing my degree in mass communications.
In my professional career, I’ve been a content manager at a high-growth marketing agency and a marketing manager for a Smithsonian Partner museum. Then I quit, spent six months travelling across the U.S. and Mexico, and started my own business doing marketing for nonprofits/arts businesses.
More recently, I began teaching college marketing courses and working as a food tour guide — all after moving across the country to Wisconsin. Once I got settled in Madison, I knew I had to take advantage of the oldest arts business program in the United States — a program that could help marry my love of the arts, creative marketing, and education while helping me take the next step in my career.
My path hasn’t been the most straightforward; it’s been less of a straight line and more of a chaotic squiggle. But if there’s one thing my time in the Bolz Center has taught me, it’s to keep on squiggling.
This year during my time in the MA Arts & Creative Enterprise Leadership program, I’m taking a full course load at the Wisconsin School of Business and working an Applied Learning Placement assisting with marketing at UW Conferences & Events. I’m also teaching two marketing courses at Madison College. Occasionally, I have time to host a weekend food tour. What might seem like an overloaded, unfocused schedule is anything but — especially when compared to my particularly squiggly colleagues and mentors in the Bolz Center.
My cohort has creative writing majors with dance backgrounds who love artistic programming, award-winning visual artists who teach youth art classes, piano prodigies with marketing degrees, artistic directors with fundraising chops — the list goes on. Our instructors run entire artistic companies and debut creative works in other countries when they’re not providing top-tier instruction and grading assignments. I’ve never been part of an intellectual group that is more passionate, successful, and multifaceted than the Bolz Center, and it taught me a very important lesson: we’re all just squiggling our way to success.
When I graduate in May, I plan to pursue marketing and programming positions in local arts organizations while continuing my journey in higher education. I might even throw in the occasional food tour on the weekends. Whatever I decide to do, I will feel more prepared and empowered than ever thanks to the learning experiences and community of the Bolz Center — and feel confident to follow the squiggly path once again.