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Educational and Professional Resources

The University of Massachusetts-Amherst Department of Theater is dedicated to the professional advancement of both our undergraduate and graduate students.

We are able to offer support to theater students via a series of scholarships and awards created specially for theater students, as well as a number of college and university-wide funds. Learn more about these opportunities on our Scholarships and Awards page.

On this page, meanwhile, we are pleased to list resources and services that enhance student development in finding internships, apprenticeships, find support for projects, and build successful careers both during their time at UMass and beyond:

Mentoring

The UMass Department of Theater believes that mentoring is critical to the development of successful students and young professionals. In addition to assigning an individual advisor to each student, UMass Theater feels that it is the responsibility of all departmental faculty and staff to provide mentorship and guidance to all students. Graduate students also serve as vital mentors to our undergraduate students and provide a high level of accessibility and considerable presence.  Students can seek out guidance not only for academic support with their studies here at UMass, but also support with professional development outside of the department.

Students in the Department of Theater receive mentorship in a number of ways:

Faculty Advising

Undergraduate- and graduate-level Theater majors are each assigned a faculty advisor within the department who is able to provide support and guidance throughout their college careers. Students are expected to meet with their advisors each semester prior to enrolling for the following period. Advisors provide guidance in designing an individualized course of study that will not only aid students in meeting core requirements for graduation, but also prepare students for successful careers beyond UMass.

Peer Advising

In addition to receiving the mentorship of graduate students, upper level undergraduate students also serve as mentors for the 1st and 2nd year students. The Undergraduate Advisory Council is made up of Theater majors in their junior or senior years, who act as liaisons between the undergraduate student body and the faculty. They serve as peer advisors to first-year and transfer students new to the major and provide a valuable resource to incoming students as they get acquainted with the department and life at UMass.

Student Surveying

The Department is constantly searching for ways to better serve our students and actively seeks out feedback from students to identify the services that would be most beneficial. All junior year theater majors are required to participate in a survey detailing feedback on their experiences here at UMass. Seniors participate in exit interviews with the Department Chair. The feedback provided is carefully analyzed and used to tailor the program to meet student needs.

We want to hear from you! What is working for you and what challenges do you face? The Undergraduate Program Director welcomes feedback from students and is here to support you.

Grants

Both graduate and undergraduate students can apply for grants to fund educational opportunities as well as independent productions.

The following are University grant sources:

  • The UMass Arts Council allows both graduate and undergraduate students to apply for Mini-Grants ($500-$1000) or Single Project/Event Grants ($1000-$5000) during one of several rounds of rounds throughout the year, supporting student-managed single arts-related project, event or series that serve to benefit or involve a large number of univertsity students.
  • Undergraduate students with theater-adjacent Bachelors Degree with Individual Concentration (BDIC) may qualify for Scholarship and Research Grant ($100-$500) through BDIC, awarded during several rounds throughout the year. 
  • Graduate students have access to UMass Graduate School funds in the form of Travel Grants ($500-$1000) and Dissertation Research and Rapid Research Grants ($1000-$5000), awarded on a rolling basis.

Below are off-campus resources for grants, for which undergraduates and graduate students are eligible:

  • The Amherst Cultural Council supports humanities-based projects in Amherst and has a deadline in October for grants running $500-$1000.
  • The Massachusetts Cultural Council is for projects benefiting a Massachusetts community and has a deadline in October for grants running $1000-$5000.
  • Art With Heart supports community engagement through social practice with grants of $100-$500, awarded on a rolling basis.
  • The Helmsley Lighting Program offers lighting students or recent graduates of a professional lighting degree program to help enable them to apprentice with a professional lighting designer “mentor” for an extended period in their professional practice support though its Mentorship Program, which has an April application deadline and gives $1000-$5000.
  • The Jim Henson Foundation supports development or presentation of new works of live puppet theater through a Project Grant, with a deadline in March for grants of $5000-$10,000.
  • Mass Humanities has three types of grants, all with deadlines in in September, December, and March. The Project Grant is for $5000-$10,000; the Grant Priority is for $10,000-$25,000, as is the Engaging New Audiences Initiative; the organization prioritizes funding projects that engage those whose contact with humanities programming is limited.
  • The National Endowment for the Arts support translations into English from published writers with a Translation Grant of $10,000 which has a December deadline.
  • The New England States Touring (NEST), through NEFA, funds performances, readings, and screenings of work by regional, national, and international artists presented by New England-based nonprofit organizations. NEST 1 & 2, for $1000-$5000, have rounds in August, December, and March, and NEST 3, for $5000-$10,000, has a March deadline.
  • The Princess Grace Foundation's Theater Grants assists emerging talent in theater, dance, and film by awarding grants in the form of scholarships, apprenticeships, and fellowships. The award is for $10,000 and applications are due in March.
  • The Puffin Foundation funds work that has getting produced due to genre or social philosophy with grants of $1000-$5000, deadline in December.
  • The Pollination Project support individuals with projects that support compassion and Social Change through its Seed Grant of $1000-$5000, awarded on a rolling basis.
  • The Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDC) supports an Observership Program that provides early to mid-career directors and choreographers paid opportunities to observe the work of master directors and choreographers as they create productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway and at leading regional theatres across the country. The deadline to apply is April and the grant is for $1000-$5000.

Before applying for a Grant please review these instuctions [PDF].

Additional Grants Resources

If you were not able to find what you were looking for in the above database, below are links to a few additional resources you can use to continue your search:

Internships & Jobs

Department of Theater strongly urges students to seek professional experiences in their chosen areas of interest. Apprenticeships, internships, and mentorships offer valuable professional experiences for students who want to pursue a career in theater and the performing arts. Opportunities are available locally and nationally with many positions offering stipends and/or room and board. Students may be able to arrange university credit for their activities.

The Penny Remsen Design and Technology Theater Internship Fund is intended to provide financial support to students pursuing internships or assistantships in theater design and technology. Disbursement of the award is managed by the Design, Technology & Management staff and faculty. Up to $3000.00 will be awarded per academic year for two rounds of funding. Click through to learn more and access an application.

Theater Internship & Job Listings:

*The UMass Department of Theater has a subscription to Artsearch, which students can use to search for jobs and internships. Please contact General Manager Willow Cohen for the log-in credentials.

Theater Internship & Job Fairs:

In addition to offering courses in arts management, the Arts Extension Service maintains a database of internship and job opportunities in the arts, as well as hosting in-person and virtual internship fairs several times a year. AES Internship information is found here.

In addition to the resources above the faculty and staff at UMass have an extensive professional network and can provide support in identifying internship opportunities tailored to the individual needs of each student. Students are encouraged to meet with their advisor or to seek out guidance from other faculty and staff members in the department.

Workshops

The Department of Theater hosts a number of professional-development and curriculum-based workshops, master classes, and guest lectures throughout the year. These events occur within individual classes, larger seminars, and department-wide settings, and they are geared to help students understand and navigate the transition into the professional worlds of theater, film, and TV. They also explore how the skills learned within the department can pay off in other fields. 

Past guests include:

Huntington Theatre's Costume Crafts Artisan and Dyer Dee Wallace Spriggs
Yale School of Drama Chair of Acting Walton Wilson
Shakespeare & Co. Artistic Director Allyn Burrows
Red Wall Productions' Roz Coleman
Actor Dinorah Walton
BC/EFA producer Michael Graziano
and many more

Career-oriented workshops are occasionally funded through money originally raised for the Fridays at Four career preparation series.

Alumni Networking

UMass Amherst Department of Theater has an extensive network of alumni working professionally in a wide variety of theater and related fields. 

The Department’s News page regularly features articles about alumni, and we post alumni news on the Facebook page as we receive it.

Current students are encouraged to join the Department Facebook Group, which includes information about department opportunities. Many alumni are also active in the group and post opportunities (some paid) of interest to current students. (You will need to ask permission and a group administrator will add you to the group.)

Campus Services

Career Services: Offers a variety of services designed to assist students with career development including advising, training, interview and resume prep and assistance with job and internship search.

Arts Extension Service: A national arts service organization located at UMass that offers Arts Management training for students and professionals in the arts including professional certification programs in Arts Management.

Graduate Student Office of Professional Development: Offers Graduate Student training and professional development opportunities including workshops on grant application, teaching, and academic writing, which are designed to complement the graduate student academic experience and position students for success in their careers at UMass and beyond.

Writing Center: Provides feedback and support with written work at any point during the writing process. Helps student writers develop drafts, clarify arguments, edit sentence structure, re-organize texts, and build productive writing practices.

Mentoring | Grants | Internships & Jobs | Workshops | Alumni Networking | Campus Services

Mentoring

The UMass Department of Theater believes that mentoring is critical to the development of successful students and young professionals. In addition to assigning an individual advisor to each student, UMass Theater feels that it is the responsibility of all departmental faculty and staff to provide mentorship and guidance to all students. Graduate students also serve as vital mentors to our undergraduate students and provide a high level of accessibility and considerable presence.  Students can seek out guidance not only for academic support with their studies here at UMass, but also support with professional development outside of the department.

Students in the Department of Theater receive mentorship in a number of ways:

Faculty Advising

Undergraduate- and graduate-level Theater majors are each assigned a faculty advisor within the department who is able to provide support and guidance throughout their college careers. Students are expected to meet with their advisors each semester prior to enrolling for the following period. Advisors provide guidance in designing an individualized course of study that will not only aid students in meeting core requirements for graduation, but also prepare students for successful careers beyond UMass.

Peer Advising

In addition to receiving the mentorship of graduate students, upper level undergraduate students also serve as mentors for the 1st and 2nd year students. The Undergraduate Advisory Council is made up of Theater majors in their junior or senior years, who act as liaisons between the undergraduate student body and the faculty. They serve as peer advisors to first-year and transfer students new to the major and provide a valuable resource to incoming students as they get acquainted with the department and life at UMass.

Student Surveying

The Department is constantly searching for ways to better serve our students and actively seeks out feedback from students to identify the services that would be most beneficial. All junior year theater majors are required to participate in a survey detailing feedback on their experiences here at UMass. Seniors participate in exit interviews with the Department Chair. The feedback provided is carefully analyzed and used to tailor the program to meet student needs.

We want to hear from you! What is working for you and what challenges do you face? The Undergraduate Program Director welcomes feedback from students and is here to support you.

Mentoring | Grants | Internships & Jobs | Workshops | Alumni Networking | Campus Services | All

Grants

Both graduate and undergraduate students can apply for grants to fund educational opportunities as well as independent productions.

The following are University grant sources:

  • The UMass Arts Council allows both graduate and undergraduate students to apply for Mini-Grants ($500-$1000) or Single Project/Event Grants ($1000-$5000) during one of several rounds of rounds throughout the year, supporting student-managed single arts-related project, event or series that serve to benefit or involve a large number of univertsity students.
  • Undergraduate students with theater-adjacent Bachelors Degree with Individual Concentration (BDIC) may qualify for Scholarship and Research Grant ($100-$500) through BDIC, awarded during several rounds throughout the year. 
  • Graduate students have access to UMass Graduate School funds in the form of Travel Grants ($500-$1000) and Dissertation Research and Rapid Research Grants ($1000-$5000), awarded on a rolling basis.

Below are off-campus resources for grants, for which undergraduates and graduate students are eligible:

  • The Amherst Cultural Council supports humanities-based projects in Amherst and has a deadline in October for grants running $500-$1000.
  • The Massachusetts Cultural Council is for projects benefiting a Massachusetts community and has a deadline in October for grants running $1000-$5000.
  • Art With Heart supports community engagement through social practice with grants of $100-$500, awarded on a rolling basis.
  • The Helmsley Lighting Program offers lighting students or recent graduates of a professional lighting degree program to help enable them to apprentice with a professional lighting designer “mentor” for an extended period in their professional practice support though its Mentorship Program, which has an April application deadline and gives $1000-$5000.
  • The Jim Henson Foundation supports development or presentation of new works of live puppet theater through a Project Grant, with a deadline in March for grants of $5000-$10,000.
  • Mass Humanities has three types of grants, all with deadlines in in September, December, and March. The Project Grant is for $5000-$10,000; the Grant Priority is for $10,000-$25,000, as is the Engaging New Audiences Initiative; the organization prioritizes funding projects that engage those whose contact with humanities programming is limited.
  • The National Endowment for the Arts support translations into English from published writers with a Translation Grant of $10,000 which has a December deadline.
  • The New England States Touring (NEST), through NEFA, funds performances, readings, and screenings of work by regional, national, and international artists presented by New England-based nonprofit organizations. NEST 1 & 2, for $1000-$5000, have rounds in August, December, and March, and NEST 3, for $5000-$10,000, has a March deadline.
  • The Princess Grace Foundation's Theater Grants assists emerging talent in theater, dance, and film by awarding grants in the form of scholarships, apprenticeships, and fellowships. The award is for $10,000 and applications are due in March.
  • The Puffin Foundation funds work that has getting produced due to genre or social philosophy with grants of $1000-$5000, deadline in December.
  • The Pollination Project support individuals with projects that support compassion and Social Change through its Seed Grant of $1000-$5000, awarded on a rolling basis.
  • The Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDC) supports an Observership Program that provides early to mid-career directors and choreographers paid opportunities to observe the work of master directors and choreographers as they create productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway and at leading regional theatres across the country. The deadline to apply is April and the grant is for $1000-$5000.

Before applying for a Grant please review these instuctions [PDF].

Additional Grants Resources

If you were not able to find what you were looking for in the above database, below are links to a few additional resources you can use to continue your search:

Mentoring | Grants | Internships & Jobs | Workshops | Alumni Networking | Campus Services | All

Internships & Jobs

Department of Theater strongly urges students to seek professional experiences in their chosen areas of interest. Apprenticeships, internships, and mentorships offer valuable professional experiences for students who want to pursue a career in theater and the performing arts. Opportunities are available locally and nationally with many positions offering stipends and/or room and board. Students may be able to arrange university credit for their activities.

The Penny Remsen Design and Technology Theater Internship Fund is intended to provide financial support to students pursuing internships or assistantships in theater design and technology. Disbursement of the award is managed by the Design, Technology & Management staff and faculty. Up to $3000.00 will be awarded per academic year for two rounds of funding. Click through to learn more and access an application.

Theater Internship & Job Listings:

*The UMass Department of Theater has a subscription to Artsearch, which students can use to search for jobs and internships. Please contact General Manager Willow Cohen for the log-in credentials.

Theater Internship & Job Fairs:

In addition to offering courses in arts management, the Arts Extension Service maintains a database of internship and job opportunities in the arts, as well as hosting in-person and virtual internship fairs several times a year. AES Internship information is found here.

In addition to the resources above the faculty and staff at UMass have an extensive professional network and can provide support in identifying internship opportunities tailored to the individual needs of each student. Students are encouraged to meet with their advisor or to seek out guidance from other faculty and staff members in the department.

Mentoring | Grants | Internships & Jobs | Workshops | Alumni Networking | Campus Services | All

Workshops

The Department of Theater hosts a number of professional-development and curriculum-based workshops, master classes, and guest lectures throughout the year. These events occur within individual classes, larger seminars, and department-wide settings, and they are geared to help students understand and navigate the transition into the professional worlds of theater, film, and TV. They also explore how the skills learned within the department can pay off in other fields. 

Past guests include:

Huntington Theatre's Costume Crafts Artisan and Dyer Dee Wallace Spriggs
Yale School of Drama Chair of Acting Walton Wilson
Shakespeare & Co. Artistic Director Allyn Burrows
Red Wall Productions' Roz Coleman
Actor Dinorah Walton
BC/EFA producer Michael Graziano
and many more

Career-oriented workshops are occasionally funded through money originally raised for the Fridays at Four career preparation series.

Mentoring | Grants | Internships & Jobs | Workshops | Alumni Networking | Campus Services | All

Alumni Networking

UMass Amherst Department of Theater has an extensive network of alumni working professionally in a wide variety of theater and related fields. 

The Department’s News page regularly features articles about alumni, and we post alumni news on the Facebook page as we receive it.

Current students are encouraged to join the Department Facebook Group, which includes information about department opportunities. Many alumni are also active in the group and post opportunities (some paid) of interest to current students. (You will need to ask permission and a group administrator will add you to the group.)

Mentoring | Grants | Internships & Jobs | Workshops | Alumni Networking | Campus Services | All

Campus Services

Career Services: Offers a variety of services designed to assist students with career development including advising, training, interview and resume prep and assistance with job and internship search.

Arts Extension Service: A national arts service organization located at UMass that offers Arts Management training for students and professionals in the arts including professional certification programs in Arts Management.

Graduate Student Office of Professional Development: Offers Graduate Student training and professional development opportunities including workshops on grant application, teaching, and academic writing, which are designed to complement the graduate student academic experience and position students for success in their careers at UMass and beyond.

Writing Center: Provides feedback and support with written work at any point during the writing process. Helps student writers develop drafts, clarify arguments, edit sentence structure, re-organize texts, and build productive writing practices.

Mentoring | Grants | Internships & Jobs | Workshops | Alumni Networking | Campus Services | All

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