Name: Audrey Sutherland

Hometown: Hebron, IN 

Major: Live and Performing Arts Management

Audrey is a graduating senior at Columbia College Chicago. She was drawn to Columbia because it’s in her favorite city, Chicago. And once she started at Columbia, she was impressed by the fact that many of the faculty were actively working in the industry, and loved that the school felt so hands on.

In addition to finishing up her final semester, she is interning as an assistant to Vic Mensa, a production assistant at Family Travel with Colleen Kelly, and an executive producer for Dynasty Podcasts. Learn more about her exciting opportunities below.

1. How would you describe your experience at Columbia? Being surrounded by such a creative, supportive community for the past four years was one of the most important things for me at Columbia. Having a student body that you can collaborate and grow with was extremely beneficial, and is something that I will carry with me in the future.  
2. What are some of your duties at Dynasty Podcasts and Family Travel with Colleen Kelly?  I’ve been the Executive Producer at Dynasty Podcasts for almost three years now. My main duties are booking talent for interviews, talent relations, and event production/coordination. For the past two years, I’ve been the Production Assistant and Social Media Manager for the PBS show “Family Travel with Colleen Kelly”. I have traveled to 40 location shoots and I’m responsible for handling location releases, scheduling the shoot, posting to our social media outlets, and helping out wherever I’m needed.
3. What’s been one of the most amazing things about your internships? It’s been amazing to see how much my network has grown through my work in all of my internships. Working with Dynasty Podcasts has allowed me to meet some of the greatest creatives in Chicago, which has allowed me to build relationships and continue to work with people I’ve met. I’ve been able to make a name for myself in the Chicago scene because of these opportunities.
4. How did you get connected with Vic Mensa? I was helping a Chicago hip hop studio with booking when I first met Vic. He frequented the studio, so I’d see him while he was recording. His manager was around a lot and I always made it a point to strike up a conversation with him. He always joked that he was going to steal me from the studio to work for him, and he eventually did!
5. How will these internships assist you with your career goals?  Without these internships and opportunities, I wouldn’t feel as confident leaving college as I do right now. I wouldn’t have all this experience under my belt or my vast network without my internships. Working under such great mentors that are active in the industry is an invaluable tool that has helped me in numerous ways.

And just for fun, What advice do you have for students when seeking an opportunity (internship, getting involved with organizations)?

My biggest piece of advice for those seeking internships or getting involved in organizations is to network. Go to events, email your favorite organizations to volunteer, get your name out there, and be proactive in the community. Everyone is more than happy to have another helping hand on board. Create the opportunities for yourself.