Manager Program

March **, ****

Common Street Arts Program Manager

Search Committee

Waterville, ME 04901

Dear Search Committee:

It is with great interest that I submit this application for the Common Street Arts Program Manager position. I

have a deep appreciation for the arts as well as experience in education and outreach, program coordination

and implementation, event planning, marketing and web work, and working with staff and volunteers. Overall, I

believe my skill sets would benefit Common Street Arts in meeting its mission to provide and enrich the

community with arts programming, creative community collaborations, and outreach and education.

My art gallery experience was at the Mary and Leigh Block Gallery at Northwestern University. I assisted the

director and curator in bringing many traveling exhibitions to Northwestern University’s Mary and Leigh Block

Gallery for community enrichment. I had the opportunity to supervise student workers, plan educational events,

and experience the thrill of watching the registrar unpack fabulous works of art like Jean De Brunhoff’s 50

Years of Babar. I also had first hand experience on how a high-level art gallery/museum interacted with the

community on a daily basis with quality educational programming and special events.

My solid programming and outreach experience comes directly from working six years at the non-profit Hospice

Volunteers of Waterville Area (HVWA) as Youth Services Program Coordinator and Education and Outreach

Coordinator. I worked closely with the Executive Director, Board of Directors, and volunteers. I was involved in

recruiting and training volunteers, coordinating and marketing programs, and speaking to area businesses,

health centers, and schools. My involvement with education and outreach extended into the community

through adult education, teacher trainings, organizing college internship opportunities, and planning the state-

wide Hospice Education conference. Another creative venue to educate the community on Hospice Volunteers

was to show photographs of Hospice Volunteers giving of their time. I organized the traveling photographic

exhibit Faces of Hospice that traveled to the Unity Performing Arts Center, Waterville Barrels Market, and the

Oakland Public Library. I really enjoyed this work and I believe these skills could easily transfer to the Program

Manager position at Common Street Arts.

Currently, I assist the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, Barbara Moore at Colby College with the

Advising Dean Program and organizing and planning the First-year Orientation, The Colby Awards Program, and

Commencement. These are large events that take collaboration and teamwork to run smoothly. I also assist

Associate Dean of Students, Dr. Tashia Bradley with most of the Pugh Center programming and the Dr. Martin

Luther King Jr. event planning. I work closely with scheduling, catering, and media services on campus and I

know many vendors to use off-campus. I also market events on the College website and through social media.

I believe in community and in relationship building and I would enjoy the opportunity to be involved in the City

of Waterville working to promote and further develop Common Street Arts as a vital arts organization in Central

Maine. I hope that you will consider me a strong candidate for this position. I would love the opportunity to

learn more about the Common Street Arts mission and would welcome an opportunity to share with you who I

am, what I value, and how I could be innovative and effective as a Program Manager.

I look forward to hearing from you.

With best wishes,

Deb Thurston

********@*****.***

207-***-****

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