Students grow as writers during Chautauqua internships

Two Cornellians gained valuable experiences during their summer 2022 internship at the Chautauqua Institution, where they were the latest in a series of funded interns sent by Cornell’s Center for the Literary Arts.

Chautauqua is a non-profit educational institution in southwestern New York state dedicated to the arts. Donors from the Class of 1958 have funded the arts administration internships every year since 2018, and each summer two students work and learn at the historic institution. 

Junior Isabella Anderson said her Chautauqua internship helped her learn new career skills, explore further education possibilities, develop her creative writing skills, and gain hands-on experience in event organization. 

“I was immersed in a community of artists and writers, where I was able to learn more about graduate opportunities, find inspiration, and increase my communication skills,” Anderson said. “Thanks to the block plan, I was more than prepared to produce quality writing and make the most of my time with the talented mentors at Chautauqua!”

Senior Becca Gutierrez, who plans to pursue novel writing as a profession, said she loved getting to hear from so many talented authors during her Chautauqua internship. 

“I feel that I really improved as a writer during my time there. I am excited to use all that I learned from them as I continue to develop my own work,” Gutierrez said.

Sony Ton-Aime, the Michael I. Rudell director of the literary arts at Chatquaqua, reported that both students were incredible writers.

“They were good team players this summer and contributed to their workshops and the execution of all our literary events,” Ton-Aime said.

Former vice president of the Student Literary Advisory Board (SLAB) Kendra Aquino ’19 held two internships while at Cornell, at the Chautauqua Institution and Cleaver Magazine.

“My internship at the Chautauqua Institution was a formative and rewarding experience,” says Aquino, now an editor at Cleaver Magazine. “While you are there you are immersed in inspiring lectures and small group writing workshops with world-renowned authors and poets. Being a literary arts intern gave me the confidence to pursue my craft and helped me create genuine and lasting connections to the literary community.”