Miles has gained a deeper understanding of the power of community engagement in the arts through his work with the Jewett Center for Community Partnerships (JCCP) and the Center for the Arts (CFA).
In what ways has your campus job contributed to your personal, academic, or professional growth and aspirations?
Working as coordinator for the JCCP program “Musical Mentoring” has been a huge source of personal growth. JCCP programs are so wonderful because you can start out as a teacher, tutor, etc. and work your way up to coordinator. As coordinator, I worked with Oddfellows Playhouse staff to make decisions about class time and structure—a particular source of pride was when we switched the program from meeting on Saturdays to running after school on weekdays to accommodate families who couldn’t get their kids to class on the weekend. Getting to run my own program has taught me not only about youth education, but about management, how to work with people, how to be a positive force in your community, etc. One highlight was when I went to Oddfellows Playhouse’s “Teaching Artists Orientation” and I got meet kind and impressive youth educators from across the state. Dic Schmidt, the Executive Director of Oddfellows, taught us both about logistical organizational strategies and foundational philosophies of inclusion and acceptance, which I will take with me in all future endeavors.
How has your campus job helped you build connections or networks within the university or broader community?
At the end of spring 2023, I applied for, interviewed, and received the job to work as one of four interns tasked with curating an event for the CFA 50th Anniversary Festival that upcoming fall. I was trying to stay on campus, and I asked my supervisor, Rani Arbo, if there was any more work I could take on that summer. I then jumped on board to be an intern for the Summer Leadership Institute, which ended up being one of the most enriching experiences of my Wesleyan career, and I also got to work with the library on a CFA archival project. The following semester, Rani reached out to me again and asked if I would help lead tours of the CFA for 4th grade students. At the CFA, I got to apply myself to a vast array of projects, and brush shoulders with all of the wonderful faculty there—all because I applied to one job! There are so many opportunities at Wesleyan, and once I broke in (the hardest part!) there was a whole network of people and experiences waiting for me.
Updated May 16, 2024
