Grace Donahue
Building and Events Manager with IU Arts and Humanities Council
What did you study, and what has your career journey looked like?
"I studied Folklore and Ethnomusicology with minors in History and Law and Public Policy. I'm currently pursuing my Master’s in Arts Administration, and will be finishing up this May. I've had a short career journey, i.e. in the sense of a 'traditional job,' as I've just accepted a full-time position as a Building and Events Manager with the IU Arts and Humanities Council this past August. Prior to this position, I worked as an Events intern for them, which definitely helped in securing the position. I also had internships with Freight & Salvage, Monroe County History Center, Traditional Arts Indiana, Lotus Education and Arts Foundation, and WonderLab Museum. My most fun job (and probably impactful) was funnily enough, at a bait shop/deli called the Fishin' Shedd. I do think my internships aligned well with my major and lead pretty well to my current career path. Unfortunately, there's not a ton of internship opportunities available specifically targeted at Folklore & Ethnomusicology, but I was often able to connect my interests to them, especially with the Monroe County History Center, Freight & Salvage (traditional and folk music venue) and Traditional Arts Indiana (which is an Indiana Folklore group). My job now is a bit less intertwined with my major, but it definitely fits with my Master’s program (though I will admit I miss doing Folklore work)."
What does belonging look like for you in the workplace?
"I'm really lucky to have a small, close-knit group of coworkers who are always there for one another. We also are a majority-female/non-male staff, so I have people who can relate to experiences that my male coworkers can't. I also know I can rely on my staff- we all have each other's back, even when challenges are thrown our way (and there have been a lot this year)."
How has your identity impacted your career choices?
"I think my career path is in a relatively female-dominated market, which has been nice. Admittedly, I don't think my identity has impacted my career choices. I never felt a ton of push-back on any of the career paths I wanted to pursue, so I didn't really have to factor my identity into it. There are moments, of course, where womanhood doesn't appear to work in my favor (i.e. I am a building manager, so I have to fix a lot of stuff), but that's where my Fishin' Shedd experience (of being snarked at by customers—typical of the service industry, unfortunately) comes in handy."
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