Name: Valeriya Nakshun

Internship, Co-op or Research Site: The Rosen Group

Major(s)/Minor(s): Media and Communication Studies

Expected Graduation Year: June 2016

Briefly describe your internship, co-op, research, or service-learning opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.

I had my internship over the summer at the Rosen Group, which is a company that produces the "American Made Show," a wholesale art/trade show. I was hired at the beginning of the fall to work part-time as an Exhibits Coordinator. My day-to-day responsibilities include printing exhibitor applications, looking through their works of art whether it be ceramics, jewelry, fiber, glass, or 2-dimensional art. I put everything together, carefully reviewing the applications to make sure they really are American-made, and prep the applications for final review. I'm half of a two-person team in the Exhibitor Services department, which handles all exhibitor-related issues including payments, answering questions, assigning booths, and mailing out contracts among other things.

Describe the process of obtaining your internship, research, or co-op opportunity.

I actually found it on my own via the internships.com website. I received a positive response on my resume from the owner of the company so she sent me an email with her phone number to contact her. I did and we set up the interview and I was hired on the spot.

Which of the following resources did you use to find your current experience?

On my own online.

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?

I love the fact that I work with artists. It keeps me sane. I look at art every single day when looking through applications, and at the end of the day, I know that the company I work for helps artists sell their work and display it to a much larger audience. My minor is Art History and Museum Studies, and I plan to go to grad school later on for Curatorial or Museum Studies, so this experience will open up a lot of doors in the art world for me.

What have you gained from your experience that you could not have gained from another opportunity?

Not only do I get to work with artists, but I work with artists all around the United States and Canada. It's great exposure. Another thing I gained is experience with different marketing and database software. We utilize a lot of different websites and software where I work. I work with software called InfusionSoft, a website called A2Z, and an application called FileMaker Pro. It's really great that I have experience working with all these technologies in one area, so it makes me a lot more employable in the future.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

I would say to look everywhere. Use UMBCWorks but also look online. Google art organizations and see which ones are looking for interns, volunteers, or employees. If you have a particular place where you want to intern or work, contact the business directly and ask if anything is available. Also, make sure you have at least the general knowledge to do well in the field.

Please provide a short quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / the internship placement process.

I like going to work and feeling like my work is valued, and that I'm part of a show that helps artists exhibit their work and make a living.