Cruel Valentine

Arts Management (MA) '21

What would you say has been the most surprising thing you learned at Columbia?  

The most surprising thing I learned during my time in this program was something about myself, actually. During my first semester, I took Professor Joe Bogdan’s Managing and Licensing Intellectual Property course. That semester, I learned so much about copyright and trademark law, as well as contract law and negotiations. And I had so much fun doing it, too!   

I’ve always had a bit of an academic curiosity about legal topics, but this class sparked a much deeper interest for me. The more I learned, the more I realized that the knowledge I was acquiring could be profoundly helpful not just in my own artistic career, but in the careers of my creative business consulting clients, as well. My fascination grew and grew throughout the semester, and continued on into the following semester, during which I took Professor Dawn Larsen’s Art, Media and the Law course. Surprising even myself, it wasn’t long until I discovered that I wanted to attend law school to study intellectual property law. 

So, I took the LSAT, sent out applications, and am now waiting with bated breath to see where next year will lead me! This isn’t something I foresaw for myself, but I am grateful and excited for this next step, and I never would have uncovered this latent interest had it not been for my journey here at Columbia. 

What experiences or courses at Columbia do you feel have been most beneficial? 

I could wax poetic about all of the wonderful courses I’ve taken during this adventure, but the absolute best thing that happened to me during my master’s program was meeting and bonding with my wonderful cohort. We are a small but mighty group, and we have been through so much together: projects, late night study sessions, launching new ventures, experiencing wins, losses, and even a whole pandemic! 

I’ve truly made friends and collaborators for life in my time here, and I feel so grateful for the laughs, love, knowledge, and support we’ve been able to share with one another. I’ve been so blessed to have such a tight-knit group of wonderful and talented people surrounding me these past two years, and I can’t wait to see what each and every one of them does next.  

What are your plans for after graduation?  

After graduation, I’m going to take a month-long nap. After that, I’ll be spending time working and getting ready for law school. I’m excited to continue working and growing my business concurrently with my studies, and upon completing law school, I’m looking forward to folding legal advising and advocacy into my creative business consulting work, while continuing to perform, tour, and create. 

Do you have any advice for current students?  

Say yes to yourself every single day. Bring your whole self to school — it’s your best self! Take this time, this opportunity, by the horns, and make it work for you and your goals. Connect with those around you, and learn to be vulnerable with one another as you work toward your individual and common goals.  

Your dreams matter, and you are worthy. You got this.

If you were going to sum up your experience at Columbia in one sentence, what would you say?  

Well, since this is my second degree from Columbia, I could describe my experience as long, but as for my master’s program, it’s been so fast and trying and beautiful and intense and life-altering and revelatory and all too short, but absolutely magnificent.