The Mentors Project: Stephanie Cramer

MENTEE
I mentor senior college students in an internship program at the Springfield Regional Arts Council. I started this program seven years ago.

OBJECTIVE
I hope to add to their resume and build relationships in the community that could give them employment. I tell them to give a 2-minute synopsis of what they are looking for in the future.

HOW
It is a minimum of nine hours a week and 120 hours of art administration experience

RESULTS
The results are getting them a job or getting them into graduate school. Most of my interns have gone on to wonderful jobs; one, Drury University gradudate Jonathan Michael Thomas even works at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., as manager of major gifts.

CHALLENGES
I try not to accept applicants who don’t have a plan. If you can’t imagine your future, you can’t make it happen.

BREAKTHROUGHS
I have had two interns who I have given the green light to write a grant and they were both successful.