Growing up dancing in my local classical ballet company, ABT had always been a name that was on my radar. Unlike some of my fellow dancers, I did not aspire to join a professional company, but as I made my way through college, I found it hard to truly let go of ballet, an activity that had felt far less like an after-school hobby and more like a professional preoccupation. I sporadically took drop-in classes at studios in Boston where I attended college, including at Boston Ballet. Even as my flexibility waned and I struggled to dance in a mask when the pandemic happened, I never lost the desire to keep doing ballet in some capacity. So last fall, when I began looking at jobs and internships in New York, it did not take long for me to remember ABT and search their website for opportunities.
I had had very limited development experience when I applied, but I knew my BFA in creative writing would be useful, and was confident that my pure zeal for ballet would shine through. While my four person initial interview was a little intimidating, it showed that ABT takes their internship program seriously, and value those that are interested in the position by conducting such a thorough and professional interview.
The skills I have acquired through this internship have been so useful to me in starting my journey in arts administration and development. Not only have I learned how to write acknowledgement letters, fill out donation forms, conduct donor/prospect research, and utilize the software, Raiser’s Edge, I have also been able to soak up an incredible amount of knowledge and people skills along the way. At ABT, interns are welcome to join staff meetings and encouraged to take an active part in the professional atmosphere with which ABT conducts itself. Our weekly intern meetings featured staff members from all departments and gave me useful insight into the inner workings of the organization and the various positions to which I could aspire.
I have truly felt appreciated by ABT as a whole, and specifically the Development Department, where my work has been praised and achievements acknowledged. Especially as ABT continues to work through the pandemic, I know that my contributions were all the more valuable for the staff that have been pushing through this challenging time. I am confident that the full time position I will be assuming at another New York arts non-profit was offered to me in large part because of the experience of the ABT internship and the skills I have gained there.
I look forward to attending an ABT performance one day and staying in touch with all of the incredible people I have met!
Lydia Albonesi
Development Assistant Intern
Spring 2022
abtinterns 
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