Emily Lamoreaux

A 2011 Follett Fellow graduate of the Masters of Arts Management program, Emily Lamoreaux (MAM ’11) gives insight on her experience at Columbia College Chicago and shares how she got to her current job as programs coordinator for the Youth and Adult Community Programs at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance.

Tell us about your current job.

I currently work at the University of Michigan School of Music Theatre & Dance as the programs coordinator for the Youth and Adult Community Programs. I manage a portfolio of community engagement initiatives designed to connect K–12 students and adults with university faculty.

How did you get to where you are now?

After graduating from Columbia, I worked for four years in the Education Department of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO). While there, I oversaw and coordinated all aspects of the education and educational outreach programs, including a $500,000 budget. I led a team of 11 employees plus 9 conductors and 30 teaching artists in day-to-day operations to deliver high quality educational programs for Metro Detroit youth.

DSO Civic Youth Ensemble opening day 2011

I cultivated a donor to establish an endowment of $5 million, securing the longevity of the DSO’s educational initiatives to support the new visioning for the launch of the Wu Family Academy of Learning and Engagement—the educational branch of the DSO.

I also led and managed production of the inaugural season of the “Live From Orchestra Hall: Classroom Edition” educational webcast, including collaborating with Detroit Public Schools, engaging every K–6 grade classroom in the event. More than a total of 100,000 students from 450 schools across six states participated in the performance.

Did any particular Columbia professors make a significant impact on you?

I was very lucky to have many remarkable professors while at Columbia. One that sticks out for me is Angelo Luciano. I had Angelo for all of my accounting classes, and I have never had a professor who is so discerning, hilarious and tough. He was able to take a subject full of confusing numbers and spin it into a useful and digestible subject. I always felt that he was a support to me throughout my degree program. He was always there to challenge and empower me to be a better professional.

What was your most valuable experience at Columbia?

I was an Arts in Youth and Community Development focus at Columbia (a program that no longer exists). Through this concentration, I was set up by Columbia to work at the Association House of Chicago in the Development Department. The real-world, authentic learning experience enabled me to apply the knowledge I was learning in the classroom, and it provided me immeasurable growth opportunities throughout my degree program.

How did the business program at Columbia prepare you for what you do now?

The knowledge and experience that I received at Columbia enabled me to transition from being a music educator to being able to develop, manage and administer music education programs. This program allowed me to understand the organizational structure, finance and marketing/fundraising of for-profit and nonprofit institutions.

Entering into the arts administration field with a confident understanding of the industry provided me a tremendous advantage. I was promoted within a year of my first position in this field because of my big picture understanding of how educational initiatives fit into the organization as a whole. I have continued to confidently advance in my career because of the knowledge, in both business and community development, I gained while at Columbia.

DSO Sister Cities performance 2015

Do you have any advice for current MAM students?

Don’t spend all of your time in a classroom! The most valuable resource for me was using the advantage of “being a student” to partake in any opportunity in the city that I possibly could. From attending the Arts Alliance Illinois One State Conference to volunteering at the Merit School of Music to being an active participant in many arts-related conversations in the city.

The networking that I did and skill set I developed out of the classroom were what made my time in the classroom such a valuable endeavor.