I have learnt to advocate for myself and my own opinions, which comes a lot from how my internship colleagues and university professors have encouraged me to have confidence in my own ideas.

Why did you choose to study English Literature at the University of Sheffield?

I knew I wanted to study English Literature but I wanted a course that allowed flexibility in the modules that I could choose. Sheffield allows so much freedom and personalisation in selecting modules that interest you. For me, I’ve been able to develop my passion for theatre within a range of modules over my three years here, covering enough to give me the foundation to write my dissertation on something unique to me and my interests.

What does your typical week look like?

Typically, we have a new text/theory/topic for each module every week and receive a lecture on the subject and then have a seminar in small groups, where we come together to discuss our individual responses to that week’s material. This means we cover a wide range of texts over the semester, and you can choose which ones you’d like to explore and research further when it comes to the end of module assessments.

Tell us about your internship at the university’s performance venues

I started my internship at Performance Venues at the beginning of my second year. All Arts and Humanities students received an email about the opportunity, and I applied for it with no previous marketing experience but a willingness to learn and a love for live performance. I was hired as the Marketing Assistant, which involved responsibilities such as creating email campaigns to promote our shows to subscribers, engaging with local community and student groups, updating ticket sales spreadsheets and contributing to the general marketing campaign of our season of performances across the three venues of The Octagon, The Drama Studio and Firth Hall. The contract was 10 hours a week, so it fit in really nicely around my uni timetable. I was one of three interns, and we were never made to feel any less valuable to the team than full time staff and I enjoyed the level of professional growth and independence that my time in this role encouraged.

I enjoyed being part of the team so much that I applied for the new position of Content Assistant this year and was successful. In this role, I am responsible for creating engaging content for our upcoming shows across our social media platforms. I reach out to touring companies and attend dress rehearsals and get-ins to film short interviews with cast and crew. I then edit these interviews and upload them to social media. I have recently also taken on the project of creating a TikTok account for the company as we try to reach new audiences with more short form content. 

What’s your favourite thing about your internship?

I enjoy the fact that every day looks different on this job and it is a fun challenge to adapt to different marketing approaches based on the show and learn about what people are genuinely interested and engaging with. A good amount of time is spent in the office with my team, but I also love that my role this year has allowed me to interact with people face to face, visiting our venues to film tours, backstage looks, audience interviews and rehearsals.

What would you like to do after graduation?

I would definitely like to continue with a career in the theatre industry. The internship has given me great insight into arts administration, and I now have two years of theatre marketing experience that enables me to feel very confident applying for marketing jobs after graduating. I have also been very involved with all the student performance societies and have been able to direct productions on multiple occasions, which is something I’d also like to pursue. 

What skills have you developed during your course and your internship that will be useful in your future career?

I have learnt to advocate for myself and my own opinions, which comes a lot from how my internship colleagues and university professors have encouraged me to have confidence in my own ideas. This self-belief is integral to any career, especially in the theatre industry which can be a difficult industry, and helps build up a resilience that all graduates need when advancing into the professional world. 

What advice would you give students thinking about coming to Sheffield?

I would say take hold of any and every opportunity that comes your way, doing well on your course and with your uni work is so important but it’s also all the other experience that you build up during your time at uni that could make your CV stand out next to someone else who has the same degree as you. Try new things and throw yourself into all the societies and opportunities that the university has to offer. It's how I made most of my friends here and it has made my time here so much more memorable and meaningful, around working hard to earn a degree.