Although the spring 2020 semester didn’t end on a high note for many students at the University of Nevada, Reno, the COVID-19 pandemic didn’t stop one College of Liberal Arts student from completing an internship that helped shape her career path. Gracie Krutz, an art history major, graduated in May and is planning on returning to college to obtain her master’s degree in secondary education. Krutz was awarded the Frances Sumner Trachok Endowment last spring and given the opportunity to intern with the Nevada Arts Council. This donor-funded internship helped shape Krutz’ career goals and solidified her degree and graduation plans.

“I deeply appreciate that this internship was not only funded but also allowed me to complete my degree by earning three credits,” Krutz said.

At the Nevada Arts Council, Krutz was responsible for curating social media posts, editing website content and putting together an annual report. She compiled information, edited and formatted the final report. Krutz said the internship showed her how beneficial the Nevada Arts Council is to the arts community in Nevada.

“Simply being aware of the benefits and abilities of the Nevada Arts Council will absolutely increase my ability to teach and inspire future artists to contribute to their communities,” Kruz said.

The Frances Sumner Trachok Endowment is one of three donor-funded internships the College of Liberal Arts provides to students each year. The purpose of the internship is to provide students who major or minor in art an opportunity to acquire applied professional experience in the field of arts administration or education.

The College of Liberal Arts recently implemented its applied liberal arts initiative to highlight the benefits of a liberal arts degree and show direct correlation to career paths. Internships are one way the College assists students in building the skills required by many employers. Krutz said she learned a number of important skills while obtaining her liberal arts degree.

“Earning my degree taught me countless things, but especially that one must view the world with empathy,” she said.