We are so grateful to have had Megan Gurtner has our intern over the last 6 months! She poured so much dedication, creativity, positivity, and hard work into Off The Lane. It’s been a joy to work with such a leader, connector, and an incredibly smart artist. We can’t wait to see where she goes next!
Check out a Q&A with Megan as she reflects on her time at OTL and her senior year:
What are you most proud of in your time as an OTL intern?
I am most proud of the ladies night play reading night! This was one of my ideas when I was starting this internship and it was so cool to see it come to life. I am proud that it created a welcoming environment of people who just like to read and dissect plays. I am proud of so many other things that I got the opportunity to work on in my time with Off the Lane. This internship is truly a dream come true!
What is one thing you learned in your time as an OTL intern? How do you think you could use what you learned in your future career/aspirations?
I learned a lot about what section of the nonprofit world I want to focus on. Learning a lot more about the behind the scenes of both theater and nonprofits is going to help me tremendously in the future. When planning events I learned the importance of having a run of show or a general plan of how the night will go. This will help me in the future know how to ensure that my plan will go smoothly as the event progresses without me stressing out.
What is one thing you will miss about being in school?
I will miss the Center for Performing Arts lobby at my school. This lobby has been a home to me for the past 3 and a half years and it will be sad to not have that place. This is the place that allows me to be with my friends and just relax in between classes. The community I’ve made for myself at Kent State will be the thing I miss the most about being in school. Creating these relationships and being able to see them often is something that will be hard to live without after I graduate.
What are you looking forward to after graduation? Personally and professionally?
I look forward to hopefully having more flexibility in my schedule to spend more time for myself. I think it will be important to create a better schedule for myself that will allow me to put more time into my hobbies. I am also looking forward to decorating my first big girl apartment in my new city. Professionally I am excited to explore the difference avenues that I have available to me with my career choice. Majoring in theater with a minor in nonprofit studies gives me a lot of different pathways that I can take my career. I look forward to all of the relationships I will form as I enter my post grad life both professionally and personally.
What are some professional goals you have for your first 1-2 years after graduation?
Looking ahead for the next 1-2 years I hope to have a steady career in either the nonprofit or theater industry. The hope is that I am able to audition for shows when I can as well as work in community outreach and event coordination. I also would love to continue directing in any way possible hopefully in the city of Atlanta!
What is a piece of advice you would give to someone else looking to pursue the arts in and after college?
My advice would be to just try it! I know it seems really scary pursuing a career in the arts in or after college, but you never know unless you try. I think it is important to know that it can be a difficult career path but is entirely worth it if that is going to make you happy. It is also a good thing to explore all different types of positions in that industry because you never know what you are going to like.