WVU students thrive in CCAM Internship Alliance programs

Abigail Dekam interned for the City of Morgantown.

Seven current and former students are gaining valuable experience while serving local communities, thanks to the WVU College of Creative Arts and Media's (CCAM) Internship Alliance.

Through partnerships with the Boy Scouts of America, Tamarack Foundation for the Arts, Touchstone Center for Crafts, the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra and the City of Morgantown, CCAM provides paid internships, allowing students throughout the college to begin their professional careers early.

Kenneth Farmer, a May 2024 graphic design graduate, and Paige Burger, a senior dual major in graphic design and marketing, landed internships at the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Summit Bechtel Reserve in Glen Jean, West Virginia. The Scouting, training and adventure center is the home of the BSA's National Scout Jamboree and hosts camps throughout the summer. It is also one of four High Adventure Bases, providing outdoor experiences to both scout and non-scout families.

"I've had some great opportunities to work on some cool projects within the scope of graphic design, as well as some in photography and videography - some business development side of things too," Farmer said. "It truly has been a great summer so far, and I've learned a lot about working with people and scouts."

Burger recently completed designs for banners that will hang in the Summit Bechtel Reserve dining hall and is exploring an opportunity to continue working for the organization in a part-time remote role.

"I am having an amazing experience at the Summit," Burger said. "I absolutely love the property, the people and the projects I am working on. Everyone is enjoying my creations as well - my boss said they 'love my vision.'"

In Charleston, West Virginia, Elizabeth Sikora, a senior graphic design student, was hired by the Tamarack Foundation for the Arts to help raise awareness of the organization's mission to equip West Virginia artists with the skills and opportunities needed to grow the state's creative economy.

"The internship is going very well! I have been creating social media graphics and I'm beginning designs for a new newsletter they will be releasing later this year," Sikora said.

Back in Morgantown, Isaac Ridgely, a senior in the Music Industry program, and Abigail Dekam, a sophomore flute performance major, have been interning with the City of Morgantown to help develop the Ruby Concert Series. The planning of these free Friday night concerts is managed by Morgantown's Director of Arts and Cultural Development Vincent Kitch, who partners with the WVU School of Music's Josh Swiger, a teaching assistant professor in the Music Business and Industry Program.

"The beauty of this program with the City of Morgantown, is it allows the interns to work with and experience a real-world event and be part of the decision-making process," said Swiger. "Being that this is what many of these students want to do for a career, it gives them the experience they need for post-graduation success."

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