Metropolitan Opera in NewYork
orientation and overview of all areas of the Met's operations; Assigned staff mentors dedicated to performing arts management and opera production; Opportunities to attend performances and socialize with fellow interns and Met staff, and weekly seminars featur- ing special presentations by Met senior staff. During the internship, each participant selected principal areas of interest ranging from production and season planning, marketing and communications, finance and develop- ment, staffing and HR, and education. "I chose finance," said Coleman (Nu Rho 2020). "I've always had a passion for business and finance, and both my parents were professional op- era singers. Their early lives were spent
traveling around the world, singing at the largest opera companies. Later, they became professors of vocal per- formance at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. I grew up listen- ing to them sing and teach others to sing, and I attended the local operas that were produced by the University. Thus, the opportunity at the Met was the perfect chance to combine these two interests." Coleman, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound former defensive back and team captain for the Vanderbilt University football team, revealed that during his internship, he served as an assistant to the Production Finance Coordinator, Jazzmyne Wong.
purchases that are made by the shops that put things on stage, from wigs, makeup, and costumes, to large set pieces and lights seen on stage," said Coleman. "We are also responsible for making sure bills are paid and provide general support for all of the adminis- trators in the production department at the Metropolitan Opera. His general responsibilities included purchasing and paying for items needed to produce shows at the Met. "Specifically, this means that I log, code, and submit purchase orders, distribute and process invoices, cor- respond with administrators and vendors about purchases and billing, assist with payroll for the department, reconcile AMEX reports, and provide general support for other administra-
"Together in the production department, we facilitate all of the
"The most important skill required for this role is attention to detail, and this was something that my experience with Kappa has ingrained in me."
tors," Coleman revealed. "My respon- sibilities have grown over time as I have worked in this position." The internship team was so im- pressed with Coleman's achievements that they extended his internship. Coleman started his internship in May 2022 and was brought back as a temp between the summer and fall in- ternship cycles; and is now once again an intern for the fall cycle of the Met's internship pro- gram.
"We really can't afford to lose Camden right now," Kelley-Bah stressed. "We started with around 190 applicants. Of those 190, I did all the screenings. I narrowed it down to 86 applicants, and then of those 86, I then selected 35 that we presented to the departments. Camden was a shining star from the very beginning. I thought that he was really engaging and excited about the opportunity. It was also really unique in that he had some exposure to opera." Coleman, who is scheduled to graduate from Vanderbilt University in December of 2022, grew up in Champagne, Illinois, where his father is a professor and jazz musician. His mother, neé Cynthia Haymon, is a renowned operatic performer and retired professor. Regarding how Kappa Alpha Psi prepared him for his internship, Cole- man explained, "The most important skill required for this role is attention to detail, and this was something that my experience with Kappa has ingrained in me. Additionally, in the
process of becoming a member and during my time as a member, the value of how you present yourself and interact with others has always been emphasized. This is something that has taken me a long way in life and in this role - simply carrying yourself in a certain way that distinguishes you from the crowd." In addition to the fraternity, Cole- man noted that football also taught him how to be a leader amongst different groups of people, how to perform at a high level under extreme pressure, and take constructive criti- cism and use it to his advantage. "These are all things that Kappa taught me as well," said Camden. "Football also taught me how to manage my time effectively since I had to get up at 4 or 5 a.m. and often wouldn't be able to go to sleep until 11 p.m. I learned how to navigate multiple responsibilities simultane- ously and do them all at an excellent standard."
THE JOURNAL ♦ WINTER 2022 | 15
Made with FlippingBook Digital Proposal Creator