A Backstage Pass to NYC Culture and Careers

On any given day, a Lewis & Clark student in the New York City off-campus study program might move from coursework in the morning, to an arts-related internship in the afternoon, to an acclaimed live performance in the evening. Designed by L&C’s art and theatre departments, the New York City program immerses students in the creative life of one of the world’s most influential cities, blending academic study of contemporary art and theatre with hands-on professional experience. Over the course of a semester, students take three content-driven courses while completing an internship. The city, in effect, becomes their classroom.

“It’s a highly immersive educational experience,” says Professor of Theatre Rebecca Lingafelter, the program’s faculty leader. “The courses, the internships, and the city are always in conversation with one another.”

New York, Up Close

Lewis & Clark’s NYC program is facilitated by the Office of Overseas and Off Campus Programs. While the program has run for decades, Lingafelter was tasked with the unique opportunity of revitalizing it post-pandemic. The program is currently slated to run every three years, and the opportunities it provides are rapidly evolving.

Professor of Theatre Rebecca Lingafelter“Rebuilding the program after the pandemic was an opportunity to be really intentional,” says Lingafelter. “We asked what students need right now—not just academically, but professionally—and how New York City can support both of those goals in a meaningful way.”

A key goal of the program is to help students gain the skills, knowledge, and networks to build meaningful careers. Prior to the program, Lingafelter worked with alumni to compile a list of more than 50 organizations interested in hiring students for internships. Using that list as a starting point, students arranged interviews—often cold-calling contacts from a variety of industries—and secured positions before arriving in the city. Students were free to pursue paid roles or prioritize unpaid, career-launching opportunities. Each student negotiated their own work schedule, typically ranging from 5 to 20 hours per week.

Students ended up in internships with a variety of organizations, including Abrams Books, Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts, LaMama Experimental Theatre Club, and the Bushwick Starr Theatre. Lingafelter plans to maintain and build such relationships for future cohorts.

Career Exploration and Networking

Alumni connections played a key role beyond internships as well. At an L&C-sponsored alumni event, students met professionals with deep ties to the city—some of whom had participated in the same New York program decades earlier. “We had four decades of Lewis & Clark students in the room,” says Lingafelter, noting that one alum had taken part exactly 40 years ago.

As a theatre professor, Lingafelter draws on her own professional network in New York. She helped secure internships with the Bushwick Starr Theatre, where several L&C students assisted with hosting a gala honoring the theatre’s off-Broadway show and its board members—including the renowned actor Keanu Reeves.

While distinctly an exploration of the city’s art and theatre scenes, the program attracts an interdisciplinary group of students. One participant was double-majoring in computer science and dance, another in music and art, and yet another in biology and theatre.

“Our creative writing student got a publishing internship, and our rhetoric and media studies major snagged a media internship,” says Lingafelter.

Grace Kelley BA ’26For some students, internships aligned directly with long-term career plans; for others, they opened unexpected doors. When one student’s original placement fell through, Lingafelter helped connect her to a theatre internship. “While it was initially outside of her comfort zone, she completely loved it,” Lingafelter says. “It opened her up to a whole other career path she hadn’t considered before.”

For Grace Kelley BA ’27, it was the opportunity to intern with Magnet Media that drew her to the NYC program, and it did not disappoint. “It gave me a realistic glimpse into a career I’ve been interested in my whole life,” says Kelley. “Being a production intern in New York made my dream career feel like a tangible possibility. I now have a nuanced understanding of what I like and dislike about my discipline and will be able to graduate with a clearer path.”

Courses That Connect

The program’s three classes integrate perfectly with the hands-on nature of the internships. The first course, Art in New York, explores the city’s artistic history through regular visits to galleries and museums. The second, Theatre in New York, centers on attending performances, engaging with guest speakers, and writing performance critiques. Finally, History of New York examines the city’s built environment through walking tours that focus on the cultural histories embedded in its neighborhoods.

Lingafelter teaches one of the three classes, while two New York–based professors teach the others. Although the courses draw on different disciplines, they still offer students many points of intersection. “I think a big part of it is the ‘container’ of New York City,” says Lingafelter. “Each class studies that container, so it feels like one big, cohesive course.”

Beyond the formal coursework, Lingafelter guides students through a variety of cultural experiences, from visiting major institutions like the Performing Arts Library to interacting with artists like LJ Roberts, whose mixed-media fiber arts have been featured in the Smithsonian. The class also regularly attends theatre productions, including a memorable Public Work Program featuring over 100 performers incorporating everyday New Yorkers.

“Attending performances every week and meeting creatives gave me a nuanced understanding of New York City’s arts scene,” says Kelley. “This immersive experience allowed us to move beyond tourism and build deep connections lasting long after we leave. As an artist, I felt inspired to create.”

Becoming New Yorkers

All the while, students share housing with peers from other universities, including NYU, further deepening their engagement with the city. At one point, the cohort joined a group of students taking a gap year in New York for a discussion about the region’s history and a proposed demolition and development project.

Many students also pursued interests beyond the program itself—joining a running club, performing at local drag shows, or stage-managing productions alongside their internships and classes.

“They found opportunities even beyond the program, and they took full advantage of their time in the city,” says Lingafelter. “They came to really feel like New Yorkers!”

Art Theatre Overseas and Off-Campus Programs Office