student

Melissa Lee '14

Bethlehem, Pa. | Accounting, music performance

Internship:

Assistant to the finance director, Allentown Symphony Association

What I’m learning:

I’m learning how to organize data and interpret financial statements of revenues and expenses, analyzing where to cut costs by buying versus renting equipment. I am becoming more familiar with how to use the online software and other resources to acquire the data that I need to make the appropriate spreadsheets and visual graphs that are presented to the executive director.

How SU has prepared me:

SU prepared me well by establishing a strong foundation of knowledge involving the analysis and presentation of data, as well as using technical computer skills. My business and music classes have taught me to be diligent, thorough, communicative with others and adaptive to any new situation.

Biggest surprise so far:

An arts organization is more than what happens on the stage. A lot of the work actually occurs “behind the scenes.” The office administration works and holds meetings to get the best acts, reaches out to donors and sponsors, markets events to a variety of audiences and hosts an assortment of educational programs to integrate the arts into schools and local communities.