The Office for the Arts and the Mignone Center for Career Success, in collaboration with the Harvard Club of New York Foundation, hosted the inaugural Spring Break program March 13-16, 2026, which offered 12 students the opportunity to travel to New York City with OFA and MCS leadership. This excursion provided an opportunity to students to explore careers in the performing arts at one of the world’s most artistic cities. Students had the opportuity to network with alumni and industry professionals, and engage directly with leaders from renowned organizations such as Lincoln Center, the Juilliard School, Perelman Performing Arts Center, and top Broadway shows.
The students who attended the program were deeply impacted; below are excerpts from their personal reflections:
Inseo Yeo ’26: “I found the experience of traveling and sharing space with other Harvard artists incredibly meaningful. Many of my close friends at Harvard are not pursuing the arts professionally, so being surrounded by peers who are similarly committed to creative work created a strong sense of community. It reminded me that pursuing the arts does not have to be isolating—that there is a network of people navigating similar questions, uncertainties, and ambitions. That sense of collective energy and support was one of the most valuable takeaways from the trip.”
Mia Schenenga ’27: “My most impactful experience was the Harvard Club of New York mixer with alumni in the arts. The alumni I met ranged from recent graduates to alumni well into their careers, and all of them were excited to share their experiences and wisdom, and learn about the ways that I am involved in the arts. The community of the arts at Harvard, which begins at the College and is clearly sustained among alumni, is inspirational. Every person in that room was incredibly passionate about their work and eager to hear about my interests and passions. This experience reinforced my awareness of how integral the arts and this vibrant community are to my joy, happiness, and professional well-being.”
Elizabeth Bennett ’26: “The highlight of the weekend for me was seeing John Lithgow starring in Giant — and then, of course, meeting him afterwards! The realisation that he had once studied at Harvard just like me was staggering, and the experience truly opened my eyes to just how far I can go. As artists, it can be very easy to feel as though we are walking alone through the world while everyone else pursues “serious” careers in finance, law, medicine, and similar endeavours. The most valuable thing this trip offered me was the realisation that a career in the arts — furthermore, a successful career in the arts — is not just a dream, but something which is entirely attainable. It was incredibly inspiring to meet all of the accomplished alumni and alumnae at the Harvard Club and to leearn more about what my own artistic experiences at Harvard might lead me to in the future.”
Riley Jackson ’27: “One of the most impactful moments of the trip for me was sitting in on tech for Cats: The Jellicle Ball. As someone who has directed a few productions at Harvard, it was so enlightening to see the technical processes of a musical on such a major scale. Talking to one of the show’s co directors, Bill Rauch ’84, and hearing about his process was incredible. I loved hearing how they took this iconic musical, and adapted and reimagined it into something that felt fresh while still honoring the original. The first two shows that I directed at the Agassiz Theatre at Harvard were ones that I co-directed and I loved collaborating and having the ability to bring together each of our strengths to the production. Seeing a co-directed show at the professional level reinforced for me that this kind of creative partnership is not only possible, but can actually strengthen a production when done well.
I also was inspired by visiting the Pearlman Arts Center which made me realize how many opportunities and spaces there are to put up shows in New York City. It expanded my understanding of where theater can live, showing me that in addition to traditional venues, there are flexible, innovative spaces that encourage new voices and even new forms of storytelling. The visit made the possibility of creating work in New York feel more real and accessible.”
Dree Palimore ’26: “One of the most humbling and meaningful experiences from the trip was meeting Bill Rauch ’84 at the tech rehearsal of Cats: The Jellicle Ball. It made me understand the stakes of what he was doing and how much time, grit, and determination must have gone into developing that show. Sitting there, I couldn’t help but think about the hours, the days, the years of work that led to a production just days away from opening on Broadway. Even though we didn’t spend much time talking, it was incredibly clear that he is someone who cares deeply about people and about how art makes us human. That meant a lot to me. It made me want to work even harder to make my musical as strong as possible, so that one day I can have the privilege of working with people like him.”
Sebastian Lennox ’27: “In particular, I was motivated to pursue a career somewhere in the theater world after the panel we observed with Megan O’Keefe ’11, David Manella ’14 and Angel Hoyang ’22. Although my heart lies in the performance aspect of theater (and, of course, the music), hearing about their respective journeys, and how they are still able to be involved in this world without performing in it was quite inspiring and grounding. It definitely confirmed that pursuing a career in theater… is exactly what I want to do. I was notably excited about producing, because it seems like a great mix between handling the logistics of a show and getting to contribute to the creative process as well. Logistics are another aspect of the working world that I enjoy, and getting to do that in a theater space would be incredibly exciting in its own right.”
Crystal Manyloun ’26: “One of the most meaningful takeaways from this experience was the realization that there is no singular path into the arts. Through conversations with alumni at the Harvard Club of New York mixer, including Sabrina Peck ’84 and Claudia Schreier ’08, I gained clarity and reassurance in the idea that careers in this field are often nonlinear. Rather than following a set trajectory, many artists carve their own paths through experimentation, persistence, and openness to opportunity. Hearing their stories encouraged me to embrace uncertainty and to pursue both directing and choreography without feeling constrained to choose just one. It was empowering to see that it is not only possible, but increasingly common, to build a multifaceted creative career.”
Lara Tan Rui Qi 27′: “Meeting Allison Charney ’89 was a highlight of my experience; not only is she a fabulous opera singer, she is also a well-rounded artist who gives back to the Harvard community and strives to make classical music more accessible to all. I really admire her clarity of purpose in producing the highest quality art and keeping and fostering human connections through her work with fellow (Harvard alumni) artists. I also had an amazing conversation with Mary Birnbaum ’07 about her opera directing work at the Juilliard School and Sarasota Festival, which has given me the confidence to pursue my graduate school plans.
An event that I also enjoyed immensely was the outing to Brooklyn Ballet and watching their performance. I was very impressed by their operations as a small nonprofit arts company, a model I find translates readily onto the Singapore arts. As a musician, I have always felt an affinity to the art form of dance, as beautiful but sometimes misunderstood or underappreciated art forms. The collegial yet extremely professional atmosphere of the company resonated with me, and was inspiring to me to see how the arts can be made accessible to the broader community in tangible and concrete ways.”
Texaco Texeira-Ramos ’26: “This trip allowed me to feel reassured that I had taken the right steps in establishing relationships and exploring the work I found most interesting to initiate development in my career. I felt more grounded in my decision to spend several years working in the industry before considering an MFA program and it was nice to hear from alumni that an MFA program may be helpful for some but is not a necessary element to success in the entertainment industry. I was also intrigued to learn from an alumni during the alumni mixer that entry level production designers are a commodity in the industry that are difficult to come by, which was interesting to me as someone who’s considered pursuing more work experience as a production designer but wasn’t entirely sure how accessible that would be.”
Ihechikarageme Munonye ’26: “One moment that had a lasting impact on me was hearing an alum speak honestly about the winding path of their career. They described moving between different creative fields, navigating uncertainty, and learning how to sustain themselves while continuing to pursue meaningful work. What stayed with me was their perspective that financial security and artistic passion do not have to exist on separate spectrums. That idea challenged something I had quietly accepted for a long time. I had assumed that choosing art meant choosing instability. This experience helped me see that with intention, strategy, and persistence, it is possible to build both. The OFA and MCS staff were also central to this experience. They were not only empowering but deeply intentional in guiding us. They helped point us in the right direction, offering both encouragement and practical insight. They made it clear that our ambitions are valid and that we, too, can build careers in the arts. That kind of affirmation has given me a new sense of confidence as I approach graduation.”
Linda Wnetrewska ’26: “One of the things I learned about myself is how strongly I feel a sense of belonging when I am surrounded by people devoted to the performing arts, not only my peers but also working professionals in the field. Throughout the trip, I felt continually inspired by the energy, generosity, and creative spark of the people we met, as well as by the other trip participants. That experience left me even more certain that I want to pursue a performance career. I also came away with a renewed sense that my determination is strong enough to carry me through the obstacles on that path. The alumni we spoke with made clear that success in the arts is rarely linear, but I found that reality encouraging rather than discouraging. In fact, the more real-life stories I hear about building a place for oneself in the industry, the more determined I become to give it my all and to work patiently toward success.”
