CUNY SPS student Elizabeth Teperino spent the Fall 2024 semester working at a nonprofit. The opportunity, which came through her participation in CUNY Cultural Corps, gained her valuable professional experience and connections, as well as a possible career focus within her Business major. The Kiosk spoke with Teperino about her experience, discussing the skills she developed, making new connections, and how the program reinforced her career aspirations. Her reflections emphasize how hands-on learning programs help students gain practical experience and explore new career paths.
The Kiosk: Can you tell me a bit about how you got started with Cultural Corps and what initially sparked your interest?
Elizabeth Teperino: I was always interested in working with nonprofits, so I kept that in mind when I chose my major (business). Since business is a broad field to major in, I knew I would have to start exploring different career paths, even if I was certain I would want to pursue a career specifically in nonprofits. Then, one day I received an email through the CUNY-wide newsletter announcing that applications for the CUNY Cultural Corps were open, and it could not have come at a better time.
What was your first experience like, and did it match your expectations?
I wouldn’t say my experience matched my expectations as I did not expect to be working remotely for the majority of the time. However, this was just the norm for the specific organization I was working with since they didn’t have a formal office space. This was actually a very new and exciting experience for me since prior to this, I’d never had an hourly position that was almost entirely conducted remotely.
I also did not realize how much planning and networking went into fundraising. I thought there would be much more direct interaction with the donors themselves and that you’d get to know them personally. The majority of our communications with the donors were done through paper mail or email instead of in person or over the phone as I had initially thought.
How has it influenced or changed your career plans, if at all?
This experience definitely reinforced my love for Excel sheets! There was a lot of planning, working with data, and contacting donors, all of which I found to be very rewarding work. I would absolutely consider focusing on a career in development and fundraising after graduating.
Can you share a memorable moment or surprise you encountered while being involved with the Cultural Corps?
Yes! We hosted a donor event with an independent musician who had recently released an album. At the event, I met the previous Cultural Corps intern and I got to hear a little bit about what she’s been up to after graduating. The artist herself was incredibly sweet and I ended up attending her show later that week!
What inspired you to join or get involved with the Cultural Corps?
After reviewing all the available hubs (departments), I realized that the development and fundraising hub might be something I would actually want to explore as a career option. I already knew I loved planning events and interacting with people one-on-one, so being able to incorporate some of my knowledge and experience in business administration seemed like a good balance of a lot of things I really enjoyed.
Do you think you’ll stay connected with this group in the future? Why or why not?
I think there’s a good chance we’ll stay connected! We have both a LinkedIn group that all Cultural Corps alumni are a part of as well as a WhatsApp group for our cohort where we communicate from time to time.
How has this experience shaped you personally or professionally?
Personally, I got to work with lots of very interesting and successful artists and got to learn about and experience genres of music that I was previously unfamiliar with. Professionally, I got to experience a side of nonprofit development that is rarely seen by the public, and through the internship I gained a better understanding of what goes into that sort of work as well as a clearer vision of where I saw myself in it.
If someone were interested in getting involved, what advice would you give them or what should they know?
The next cohort will be for Fall 2025 and applications will likely open at the end of the Spring semester. My advice for anyone looking to apply is to choose a hub that they don’t have experience in, and that even just the thought of it is intriguing and exciting. This is your chance to try out a career you’ve been thinking about pursuing but either don’t know where to start or are curious to know what the job is actually like. This internship will give you a taste of what your day-to-day responsibilities could look like, all while learning new skills, building connections, and attending educational workshops to [help you] reach your professional goals, all with a very low time commitment. If you’re on the fence about applying, you have nothing to lose and so much to gain.
CUNY Cultural Corps is an exciting program that offers students paid work experience within New York City’s arts and cultural sector. The initiative aims to create pathways for students to have successful careers while promoting diversity in cultural institutions. Partner organizations include nonprofit groups as well as public-focused institutions. Through several professional “Hubs,” students can decide on their career focus, ranging from Education, Communications, Development and Fundraising, Curatorial, and Production Management.
Applications are closed for the Spring 2025 semester, but students who are interested can apply for Fall 2025. Students can explore different career opportunities and should review eligibility requirements on the program’s website or contact them via email. If admitted, participants will work up to 15 hours per week, completing a total of 165 hours during the semester, and will receive a wage for their contributions.
