Penn Live Arts Blog / June 2026

Summer 2026 Internships and Funding Awards

Now that Penn students have swept their dorms, dragged suitcases to the curb and waved goodbye to campus, many are preparing for a big milestone: summer internships. We are pleased to announce that nine students received internship support from Penn Live Arts through our Arts & Entertainment Career Connections program with internships offered in partnership with alumni employers or through funding awards made to those who had already secured opportunities.

This summer’s cohort of interns is our largest since the program began in 2022, and also the most academically diverse. Interns are enrolled in the School of Arts and Sciences, Wharton and School of Engineering. Together, they boast no fewer than ten majors, ranging from English and cinema & media studies to mechanical engineering and mathematical economics.

Here’s a look at the career explorations and learning experiences awaiting them across the country this summer:

West Coast

Third-year engineering student Nick Harty and second-year mathematical economics and English/creative writing major Krisaana Gunsagar will work at Brownstone Productions in Los Angeles. Brownstone Productions was founded by Penn alumni Max Handelman (C ’95) and Elizabeth Banks (C ’96, HON ’25).

Elsewhere in L.A., international relations and cinema & media studies major Kensa Aissaoui will intern at Hidden Pictures, the production company of Todd and Heather Lieberman (C ’95 and C ’94 respectively).

East Coast

Second-year English and music major Elijah Howe will work in Manhattan as a Label Intern at Artist House music studio, led by Mina Wattenberg (C ’94) with songwriter and producer Gregg Wattenberg.

Second-year linguistics and anthropology major Hannah Nieuwveld will work at Theatre Horizon, the Norristown theatre started by Erin Reilly (C ’01) and where Gilberto Vega (C ’12) is Director of External Communications. Second-year anthropology major Isa Prado will also stay in the area to work at FringeArts, where Penn alumna Devi Bass (C ’23) is now Director of Venue and Patron Services.

Midwest

In the program’s first foray into the Midwest, Sanjana Nalavolu, a second-year mechanical engineering and music major, will be the Business Strategy Intern at Kansas City Repertory Theatre, a connection made by alumna Ann Harrell (C ’91).

Funding award winners include Kaitlyn Girotto, Zachary Kirchhoff and previous Hidden Pictures intern Chenyao Liu, who will work at MRC, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and BlackStar Film Festival, respectively.

We wish all these students an adventurous, illuminating and fun summer!