Evvie Cleveland '26 Residential Administrative Assistant and Health and Wellness Intern

Evvie Cleveland '26 (Business Management & Fine Arts Administration Minor) was a Residential Administrative Assistant and Health and Wellness Intern at Joffrey Ballet School in San Francisco, California.

The company provided board and almost all meals. I had to pay for all of my travel expenses. This was my first time truly using public transport on my own, that was a huge learning curve for me!

What was the process for getting this internship, job, or summer experience? 

I was sent this opportunity through the School of Music. It took an application and two rounds of interviews to be selected for the position. One interview was one on one and the other was a group interview.  

What was a typical day like?

Every day was different, because I worked at a satellite location we had several different responsibilities. The residential piece of my job was working as a Resident Advisor. I lived on campus with the students who attended the ballet school. The position rotated through each intern, but some days we would be in charge of making sure the younger students were up and ready for their intensive, other days you were on call meaning you were accessible to the students 24 hours a day. In the evenings you would do curfew checks and make sure students were all well before bed. As an Administrative Assistant, I would go into the office after taking care of students and work on answering emails/ phone calls, planning for the final show case, and taking care of the needs of the Artistic Director and Intensive Coordinator. Finally, half way through I picked up the position of Health and Wellness intern. This position was vital and needed a last minute substitute and I was able fill that roll. On top of the previously mentioned responsibilities, I became responsible for students injuries, mental and physical health. Over all, I played a lot of different roles during the internship.

What was your favorite part of the experience?

My favorite part was getting to see how a large scale arts school operates away from its primary location. I also enjoyed getting to know a different city, and all the things it has to offer as well. Things like good seafood and boat rides, something totally new to me!

What did you find most challenging?

It was challenging to only have about 16 hours of training in total before being thrown into it. There were a lot of things I didn't know and had to figure out on my own. It all worked out in the end.

What did you learn?

I learned a lot about the importance of communication and transparency in an organization. As well as the challenges that can be present when working for a company's satellite location. Having good communication makes all the difference and can help you navigate through difficult tasks.

What advice do you have for other students looking for a similar experience, or advice for future students to be successful?

Internships are a great opportunity to find out how you work in certain environments. If you show up to an internship and determine that the environment may not be a perfect fit for you, don't feel discouraged. Use it as an opportunity to learn to navigate new workplaces and discover where you will fit best! 

How did Eller prepare you for this experience?

Eller gave me an abundance of tools, from interview skills, to excel spreadsheets I felt like I had so much to bring to the table. Eller's commitment to creating poised leaders, with an abundance of professional vocabulary and skills made it possible for me to focus more on understanding the operations and then carry them out at a high quality.