At the Hartford Art School, learning doesn’t stop after students leave their classrooms. In fact, many impactful experiences are in the form of internships, providing connections and refining one’s skill set in a real-world setting.
Internships provide students the opportunity to put their education into practice—to work alongside professional artists and designers, teach young students, contribute to arts organizations, and experience the day-to-day realities of a career in the arts.
But for many students, an unpaid or low-paid internship can be difficult to accept without financial support.
That is where internship scholarships at the Hartford Art School make a difference.
Through the generosity of Hartford Art School donors, students can say yes to opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach. The result is more than a summer job. These experiences build confidence, professional skills, networks, and a clearer vision for the future.
For students and recent alumni like Dylan Rogala ’27, Cheri Coore ’25, Kaylee Naumowicz ’25, and Natalie Albanese ’25, scholarship support has helped transform an internship into an important step toward a career in the arts.
Finding Confidence as a Designer
For Dylan Rogala ’27, an internship at The Visual Brand offered a chance to discover what a career in graphic design could really look like.
Dylan has always loved art, but graphic design provided a way to combine that creative passion with real-world impact. During the internship, Dylan gained practical experience while developing the professional habits that can be just as important as technical design skills: patience, time management, responding constructively to critique, and confidence with modern design tools.
“This internship was an incredible opportunity that really shaped my growth as a designer,” Dylan shared.
That growth was made possible, in part, through the Hartford Art School Internship Fund (formerly the C3 Internship Fund).
“None of this would have been possible without the support of my professors and the Hartford Art School C3 Internship Scholarship, and I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity.”
Discovering a Future in Art Education
For Cheri Coore ’25, an internship as a teaching assistant at Creative Arts Workshop opened a different door: the opportunity to explore a future combining art, education, and administration.
Working with children of different ages and abilities, Cheri taught drawing, painting, and ceramics to students with a wide range of previous art experience. The work required creativity beyond the artwork itself. Cheri learned to recognize individual needs, navigate different personalities and disabilities, and find new ways to explain artistic processes to young students.
“I learned more about being an educator and an artist because of the children I worked with and the solutions I needed to find to help them best achieve their goals,” Cheri reflected.
The internship also provided experience outside the studio. Cheri helped at the front desk and managed gallery inventory, drawing on previous administrative experience while gaining a broader understanding of how an arts organization operates.
Cheri says the experience gave her greater confidence in evaluating potential career paths.
Dylan Rogala ’27, Hartford Art School StudentThis internship was an incredible opportunity that really shaped my growth as a designer.
The Opportunity to Keep Learning
For painter Kaylee Naumowicz ’25, an internship with artist Courtney Puckett in Holmes, New York, became so valuable that the opportunity extended beyond the summer.
Working alongside Puckett provided an invaluable environment for Kaylee’s development as a painter. As the summer progressed, Puckett invited Kaylee to continue working with her into the fall. Kaylee also had the opportunity to divide her time among additional painters, Kathleen and KK, creating an even broader opportunity to learn from multiple artists.
For an emerging artist, that kind of sustained mentorship can be transformative.
“This experience has been invaluable for my growth as a painter,” Kaylee said.
Building a Career in Arts Administration and Education
For Natalie Albanese ’25, an internship at Five Points Arts Center in Torrington, CT, offered the opportunity to explore multiple sides of the arts field.
Natalie worked across education, administration, customer service, and studio operations. By assisting the Education Director, working with the Studio Technician, and supporting the organization’s day-to-day activities, she gained experience in the many interconnected roles that make an arts organization successful.
The internship directly supported Natalie’s professional goals in arts administration and education. She anticipated strengthening her communication, teaching, administrative, and interpersonal skills while developing professional connections within the arts community.
And her work made an impression.
“Natalie was a stellar intern, engaged, dynamic, committed to excellence in the arts,” said Judith McElhone, Founder and Executive Director of Five Points Arts Center. “We are so happy to have had her as our summer intern.”
The Ripple Effect of an Internship Scholarship
Four students. Four internships. Four very different paths.
Dylan explored professional graphic design and gained confidence in his creative practice.
Cheri discovered new possibilities in art education and arts administration.
Kaylee deepened her development as a painter through mentorship with practicing artists.
Natalie gained hands-on experience in arts education, administration, and community engagement.
What connects their experiences is not a particular career path. It is the opportunity to learn by doing.
Internship scholarships give Hartford Art School students access to professional environments where they can take risks, make mistakes, receive feedback, build relationships, and begin imagining themselves as working artists and arts professionals.
And the impact extends beyond the students themselves.
When a student becomes a more confident designer, that confidence carries into future creative work. When an aspiring educator learns how to connect with a young student, that skill can shape future classrooms. When an emerging painter gains sustained mentorship, that investment can influence a lifetime of creative practice. When an aspiring arts administrator learns how an organization serves its community, that knowledge can strengthen the cultural institutions of tomorrow.
About the Hartford Art School Endowment, Inc. Internship Fund
Thanks to the generosity of Hartford Art School Endowment, Inc. donors, the Hartford Art School provides scholarships for students to pursue internships through its Internship Fund (formerly the C3 Internship Fund). This fund is intended to help undergraduate students participate in valuable internships or artist residency experiences that have great potential but may not be affordable for all students. It is a competitive program for those pursuing a high-quality practicum that is likely to further their academic goals, professional goals, and career exploration. Since 2020, the fund has provided more than 69 internship and residency awards, invested more than $180,000 in student experiences, and helped forge relationships with professional artists, museums, galleries, design firms, and creative organizations.