Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made.

Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made. ADMITTED ROUND 1

My greatest commitment has been to the creation of communities around art. By starting at the ground level in museums, making financial sacrifices to pursue learning opportunities, and devoting my time and energy to initiatives outside of work, I have dedicated myself to facilitating impactful connections through art.

My commitment started in my sophomore year of college, when I served as an intern at a museum in Venice, Italy. My duties ranged from presenting talks to managing the daily operations of the Museum, which included working the coat check and guarding the rooms. But seeing how an exceptional arts organization serves a diverse international public was an incomparable learning experience. Whether I provided a point of entry by selling someone a ticket, engaged in a conversation about a work while I was guarding, or made the collection accessible to a young family through a tour, I thrived on these daily connections.

I took a leap of faith when I joined the first large-scale European exhibition of the work of an American photographer who explores issues of race, class, and gender in Paris. Although the role began as an unpaid internship, I knew that working alongside such a talented team would be a valuable growth opportunity. I even began as a live-in au pair to support myself. My gamble proved more rewarding than I could have ever imagined. In addition to playing a key role in every aspect of a world-class exhibition and finding a mentor in the show’s curator, I was able to see the impact of our efforts in an opening symposium. The dialogue about this work created a nuanced exploration of African American identity that was particularly affecting at a moment of tension surrounding the North African immigrant population in France.

In addition to supporting global exhibitions in my current role at an artist foundation, I create space for exchange through art on a volunteer basis. With several former colleagues, I founded a networking platform for hundreds of arts professionals in New York. I have been astounded by members’ eagerness to host tours of their spaces, ranging from the Metropolitan Museum of Art to the Kickstarter Headquarters. And as co-chair of the young patrons group at a New York art museum, I work with Development staff to rethink how we engage members and enable intimate connections with artists, most recently through a small dinner with artist Josh Kline. Josh’s presentation of his work over spaghetti and meatballs invited provocative conversation about the effects of technological innovation on politics, labor, and the human body.

My commitments to building community have been motivated by my fierce conviction that art’s potential for impact upon society is limitless. Through its integrated approach to educating leaders for business and society, Yale SOM is the ideal place for me to acquire the skills to create and sustain the organizations that make art and its influence accessible to the world.