Program Overview

The Columbia Arts Experience (CAE) internship program is sponsored by the Columbia University Center for Career Education (CCE) in partnership with the Arts Initiative at Columbia University. Launched in the 2007-2008 academic year, CAE provides selected students with a New York-based internship in the arts. CAE interns participate in special events and educational programming designed to help students explore career possibilities in the arts industry.

CAE interns can find opportunities in the following fields listed below.  Internships for the 2013 year will be posted in September on LionSHARE. 

• Dance
• Architecture
• Film
• Music
• Arts Administration
• New Media
• Television
• Theatre
• Writing/Media/Publishing

Program Features

The CAE program is a combination of internship experience at an arts organization, peer connections with other CAE interns and professional career development and support with a career counselor. Program features include the following: 

• Pre-program training that includes program overview, professional skills workshops, panel discussion from arts professionals, and Q & A session with previous CAE interns.
• Twelve-week internship for 10-20 hours per week during the Spring semester. 
• Mid-semester breakfast with other interns to discuss and debrief on internship experiences.
• One-on-one career counseling appointments throughout the ten weeks to support and enhance the internship experience.
• End-of-Program Reflection session where students and employers meet to acknowledge achievements made through the program. 

Program Benefits

Upon completion of the CAE program, students will have gained a richer understanding of the arts industry in New York City and will have gained substantive professional experience working at some of the premier arts institutions of the world. Students will have learned about a wide variety of career possibilities, had opportunities to network with arts professionals and other CAE interns, and gained a more in-depth understanding of and appreciation for the many facets of an arts organization. With the support of a career counseling professional, students will also be able to articulate their experience and reflect upon their internship experience appropriately to highlight key transferable skills.

Opportunities

The 2012 CAE Program is currently closed. Please check back with us next fall for the 2013 CAE Program.

To view all current spring 2012 CAE spring internships, click here.

Student Experiences

2011 CAE Interns

	As a third year Biology major and Religion major, Jason Mogen wanted to gain more exposure to the marketing and music industry.  Read more about his incredible internship experience at Carnegie Hall here.
	Yuan Kai Steven Tsai, a third year majoring in Earth and Environmental Engineering and minoring in Economics, had an interest in learning more about the research and business aspect of the arts industry.  Read more about his experience working at PS122 here.
	Yun Seo Cho had an interest in expanding her knowledge of the arts here in NYC.  As a first year student majoring in Economics , Ms. Cho had an extremely valuable experience working at the Kaufman Center.  To learn more, read here.

2010 CAE Interns

	Elaine Silver came to CAE with the goal of exploring careers outside of her engineering major. She not only learned about arts non-profits, but also gained a lot of insight into the skills she possessed that could help her succeed in any industry.
	As a first-year Columbia College student and prospective Biology and Dance, Ariana Lott's ten-plus years of ballet training led her to apply for a position with the New York City Ballet. By the end of the Spring, she tacked CAE to the growing list of ways she could translate her extracurricular passions to professional interests.

2009 CAE Interns

	CAE Intern Adina Levin merged her life long passion for the arts and her interest in business during her internship this past spring. Read Adina's profile to learn how she accomplished it.
	Mark Browning took advice from graduating seniors about looking into getting professional experience while in school. Read Mark's story to find out about his experience with the CAE program.

Information Sessions

The 2012 CAE Program is currently closed. Please check back with us next fall for the 2013 CAE Program.

Apply Now

Eligibility
Application Process
Frequently Asked Questions

Program Contacts

If you have questions about the CAE program, please feel free to contact:

Jill Burya
Assistant Director of Experiential Education & Student Enterprises
jb3412@columbia.edu

If you are an employer interested in hosting a student through the Columbia Arts Experience program, please contact:

Vernon Gibbs
Outreach Specialist of Employer & Alumni Relations
vdg4@columbia.edu