IDEAL: Internship for Diverse and Emerging Arts Leaders
IDEAL is a summer internship from United Arts that places undergraduate students from backgrounds underrepresented in arts leadership with host arts organizations in Wake County and pairs them with local mentors to guide the students’ personal and professional growth throughout the summer.
The pathway to leadership positions at the highest level in the arts sector is not always clear. The IDEAL eight-week internship will help students gain skills, networks, and experience that will prepare them for leadership roles after they graduate.
The 2024 IDEAL summer internship program will run from June 3 through August 2 and includes:
- $4,500 pre-tax stipend per intern
- Work placement at an Arts Host organization in Wake County for 24 hours per week for 8 weeks
- Additional professional development opportunities, cultural activities, and networking events
- Individualized mentor pairing in interns’ arts-specific field of interest
- A local cohort that will serve as a strong foundation for interns’ growing careers
- Learn more about the IDEAL internship experience by watching the Information Video for Interns
- Learn more about the IDEAL Art Host experience by watching the Information Video for Hosts
Meet the IDEAL 2024 Cohort
Aida Guo
Host Site: Halle Cultural Arts Center
Mentor: Chieko Murasugi
Aida Guo (she/they) was born and raised on unceded Tuscarora land (colonially known as Cary, North Carolina) and is studying International Comparative Studies, Visual Arts, and Asian American and Diaspora Studies at Duke University. They love parallel play with friends and family, political and arts education/organizing, and all things Studio Ghibli!
Alex Hayes
Host Site: Community Music School
Mentor: Shana Tucker
Alex Hayes (she/her) was born and raised in Cary, NC, and graduated from Green Hope High School. She is currently attending Appalachian State University in Boone, NC as a double major in cello performance and mathematics. Alex has been playing the cello for nine years, and hopes to keep music a main part of her life in her future career.
Elizabeth Njoroge
Host Site: Fuquay-Varina Arts Center
Mentor: Phillip Loken
Elizabeth Njoroge (she/her) was born and raised in Chapel Hill, NC, and currently resides there to this day. Elizabeth is studying Art with a concentration in Film Studies at North Carolina State University and plans to graduate in the fall of 2026. She is very interested in experiential films, documentaries, and dramas. After graduation, Elizabeth hopes to obtain a master’s degree in Arts Studies with a long-term goal of becoming a film director.
Jade Phan
Host Site: VAE
Mentor: Rakan DiarBakerli
Jade F. Phan (they/them) is a student at Wake Tech working to obtain an Associate in Fine Arts degree with an interest in visual communication. Jade grew up heavily engaging in the arts and culture sector in Raleigh, NC, where they fostered a deep appreciation for community interaction through art. They spent their teen years gaining arts administration experience as a youth ambassador to the NCMA. Jade hopes to earn a Bachelor’s degree in digital media after graduation.
Sonali Schroder
Host Site: Artspace
Mentor: Katherine White
Sonali Schroder (she/her) is a spring 2024 graduate from Elon University with a B.A. in Arts Administration, with minors in Art, Business, and Spanish. As a lifelong Cary resident and former Artspace summer camper, she is thrilled to be working at Artspace this summer. She is passionate about creating inclusive and welcoming arts institutions. In her free time, Sonali loves to paint, knit, and spend time with her family.
If you have any additional questions or accessibility requests, please feel free to email Community Arts Coordinator, Kelly Schrader, at [email protected]
