Kelli McFadden, Banjo Enthusiast
Kelli McFadden, RPTM student and intern with the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks, found a new love this summer – banjos. As the Music Programming intern for ArtsQuest, Kelli’s was a show promoter for SteelStacks, a concert and arts venue at the site of the former Bethlehem Steel plant in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. “My favorite part of my job was listening to all of the different kinds of performers and getting exposure to new sounds of instruments,” she said with a smile. “This summer I was really excited for some reason about banjos.”
ArtsQuest is a non-profit that partners with venues like SteelStacks and the Levitt Pavilion in Bethlehem to bring culture and the arts to the community. They sponsor a variety of both small- and large-scale events in the area including the 11-day Musikfest which brings in music and theatrical performances, comedy shows, interactive displays, and other art activities. Kelli was part of the preparation team for Musikfest, as well as show promoter for the summer concert series at the Levitt Pavilion.
“I had a chance to work with new artists, tribute bands, and smaller bands,” she said. She worked directly with the groups’ tour managers, providing support and hospitality, worked with contracts and other employment related documents, as well as event-related activities such as parking passes, stage plots, etc.
“I didn’t expect this aspect of Event Planning to be about so much desk work,” she laughed. “It was emails galore.”
Originally from Quakertown, PA, Kelli chose Penn State because of its reputation for networking opportunities and the strength of the alumni association. With a goal to work in planning events, she began taking classes in the School of Hospitality Management. She soon found out that wasn’t for her. “I wanted events, not hotels and restaurants,” she said. She met with an advisor in DUS who helped her identify goals. Within the first month of her first year, she transferred into RPTM.
While earning her degree in RPTM, Kelli declared the Sports Studies minor and is also completing the Meeting and Events Management Certificate. On campus she has been involved in Movin’ On, Penn State’s annual student-run outdoor concert and as a member of Trilogy, has participated in THON. She served as Vice President for the RPTM Student Society and was a small group coordinator for Penn State’s Changing Health, Attitudes and Actions to Recreation Girls (CHAARG). Kelli balanced outstanding academic performance with pre-internship experiences as a facility attendant for Penn State’s Campus Recreation and as Manager-on-Duty for ArtQuest’s ice rink.
Kelli’s special project for her internship was unique. She developed a training for ArtsQuest staff and volunteers on opioid overdose and prevention. In her proposal she wrote, “This is a proactive approach that should continue to be presented in the music festival world and eventually integrated into all large events. The agency is located in Bethlehem, PA – an area that is surrounded by a high population of drug abuse. ArtsQuest hosts an 11-day festival in August. Festivals are a time where alcohol and drug use significantly increases, leading to patrons overdoing it.”
Marissa Guariello, Kelli’s supervisor at ArtsQuest shared this about Kelli: “We are absolutely stunned with Kelli's performance this summer. She is an incredibly hardworking, curious, and ambitious intern. Her positive demeanor and ‘can-do' attitude is second to none-- exactly what is needed in our line of work during busy summers! We've really enjoyed having her with us and continue to be impressed every day. She is a truly remarkable young lady.”
Kelli offers this advice to new students. “If there is anything you want to do, try it. The best thing about this major is that it is super versatile. There are so many ways you can take it.”
That might even include a new interest in banjos.