By: Sarah Fiege, BS’17
For those who do not know me, I aspire to work in art administration and hopefully as an art curator one day. I have found effective communication and successful coordination are key skills for this career path, as in most professional settings. Courses and professors at the Kelley School of Business instill these qualities, and it is up to the students to apply them appropriately to their lives and future careers. I have discovered most Kelley students are not seeking futures in the art administration world, so it is interesting for me to develop my own opinion about how the entities of business and art interact. Each course I take I think of how I can apply the skills and knowledge I gain. An easy way to do this has been networking with fellow students and professors. Talking with those around me at Kelley helps me to bridge connections between business and art. These conversations lead me to believe networking truly is the most essential skill to master. I have found that speaking to others about my personal game plan opens the most doors of opportunity. Fortunately, one of the opportunities I have been given to apply my learning from Kelley is through my internship with the Harrison Center for the Arts this summer. My official duty with HCA is planning the fifth annual FoodCon.
FoodCon is exactly what the name alludes, a food convention. The event is hosted on Friday, July 3 from 5-9pm at the Harrison Center for the Arts Courtyard during July’s IDADA First Friday. FoodCon brings foodies, artists, and members of the Indiana sustainable food community together to engage in an evening filled with food, art, entertainment, and community enrichment. The purpose of hosting such an event is to involve the Indy community with the countless ways people are consuming, producing, and interacting with food. Attendees can enjoy food from an array of five food trucks and interact with 20 vendors. Vendors range from Kurt Pantzer cooking on a car engine to hydroponics represented by Maximum Grow Gardening. Securing vendors for the evening is the largest task to check off on the list of requirements for the night. Those who participate are required to surpass the traditional role of being a vendor at an event. Vendors are responsible for not only informing attendees about their spin on food, but also to actively engage them to best promote unique food options happening in our city. This aspect of the event may be the most rewarding because, in theory, all who attend will be inspired to try new ways of consumption. In this way, FoodCon assists HCA in achieving its major aspirations to connect people with place and help Indiana residents build a relationship with their city.
Acquiring vendors for FoodCon is highly essential to ensure the quality of event, but it is also the greatest task in regards to time and effort. My experiences from past classes at IUPUI and occupations have helped me to execute this responsibility. The process of confirming vendors entails persistence, providing clear and necessary information, and consistently being one step ahead. Most of the time I am planning ahead and making sure I am not overlooking any details. I consider myself practiced in this type of work because of the preparation I have received at Kelley and also because scheduling throughout 15 credit hour semesters requires much of the same work.
My internship with the Harrison Center for the Arts has surpassed my expectations, affirmed my career goals, and pushed me as a growing professional. The staff of HCA enable their interns to excel in their work and prepare them for the professional, successful life ahead of each individual.
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