Sarah Brungard’s Arts Administration Fellowship

As an award-winning vocalist and vocal performance major, it was natural for Sarah Brungard to consider furthering her singing education in graduate school. But a Cornell Fellowship with the Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra convinced her that arts administration was the right path for her.

During the first two blocks of her senior year, Brungard was a Golobic Fellow in Arts Administration at the symphony. As a development assistant, she managed donor information, researched funding opportunities, and performed many other tasks . She also worked in the Cedar Rapids Symphony School where she helped coordinate two major events: a 20th birthday party for the school and the fall Discovery Concert Series.

“I have had a life-long love for music, and thought CRSO would be a great fit for me,” she says.  “My experiences helped solidify my decision to pursue a master’s degree in arts administration and fostered my interest in development.”

Brungard’s experience led her to add an additional internship block at CRSO later that year. She also put her development skills to excellent use by leading the senior class to a record-breaking class gift during the 2007 Senior Challenge.

Brungard began graduate studies in arts administration at Boston University in 2007. Her flexible program allows her to work full-time as senior staff coordinator at BU’s Danielsen Institute, Center for the Study of Religion and Psychology. She says the position “directly coincides with my interest in development and fundraising.”