Ask LEAP graduate student Christine Pelletier what class had the most impact on her, and she’ll talk about illegal buying and selling of cultural property, copyright infringement, and art parodies. “I really enjoyed the LEAP class Law and the Arts,” she said. “I learned so much about law in general, and specifically about the arts and how it applies.”
Christine is a fourth semester student set to graduate from the LEAP master’s program in May. Although she’ll have to wait until May to get her diploma, Christine already has a job in the field. She was recently hired by the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra, in Cheyenne, Wyoming, as their new Patron Services and Administrative Associate. Pelletier believes that her courses in the LEAP Institute for the Arts prepared her well for the job.
“A beneficial aspect of the LEAP program is having the opportunity to plan and implement many different events,” she said. She found that learning about project planning was particularly useful to teach her how to “organize an event, ensure that everyone on your team in on the same page, and ultimately to stay on track.”
Christine was born in Littleton, Colorado. Her undergraduate degree from the University of Dayton was earned in French Horn Performance. She also has a master’s degree in the same area from Arizona State University. Christine still keeps up with French Horn Performance, but finds much value in earning her Master’s degree in arts leadership and administration.
“LEAP is a unique program that other schools in the area don’t have,” said Christine. “I was interested in arts management because, after performing, I wanted to understand the business side of symphonies. I wanted to bridge the gap between the administration and performers, since I get to see and understand what the musicians see.”
Given her interest in music, Christine chose to fulfill her internship requirements in that area. “I did one internship in the Instrumental Music Education department at Colorado State University” she said, “and one with the Fort Collins Chamber Music Society.” According to Christine, each internship helped her hone different skills. She gained experience in communications and event management working with the Music Department, and donor development and advertising with the Fort Collins Chamber Music Society.
Christine’s real passion is educational outreach. “I’m very passionate about cultivating new audiences, developing programs that engage and bring kids to the symphony, and make everyone feel welcome,” she said. “This is absolutely an area that I hope to continue working in.”
Concerning her ties in the LEAP program, Christine said, “It’s been good and it’s been really fast. I look back on it and I now see how much I’ve learned, which has been exciting. In the moment, you can get caught up in what you’re doing, but then you look back and you realize how much you’ve absorbed and how you can apply it.” She added, “I find the practical application in the program to be extremely important. I feel like I’ve successfully gained a lot of knowledge and I look forward to developing it more.”