Internships can act like a bridge between the academic context of the classroom and the professional workforce—a place where students can explore potential career paths, expand on their knowledge and skills, and learn about themselves in the process. Early work experiences like these can change the trajectory of students’ lives. And there’s no place for this quite like New York City, home to many industries, in and beyond the creative fields.
Many students find internships or fellowships through a connection with Pratt alumni, faculty, or peers. Pratt’s Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) also supports students in finding and applying for opportunities. Check out just a few examples of current and recent students who pursued internships or fellowships in their chosen fields during their time at Pratt.
An Art Director in the Making at Observer Media
Arno Reyes Baetz, BFA Photography ’25, stepped into the professional world with a dynamic photo/design internship at Observer Media in Lifestyle, Arts, and Entertainment last summer. Bringing his photography skills to an editorial setting, he tackled a range of responsibilities, from digital content management and SEO strategy to organizing and executing photo shoots with curators, writers, and collectors in their homes and workplaces all across New York City. The experience “definitely took me out of my comfort zone,” said Reyes Baetz. “Sometimes I would only have 15 to 30 minutes to photograph someone and I would have to go quickly,” he added.
The internship laid a strong foundation for a future career in media, which supports Reyes Baetz’s goal of becoming an art director at a print magazine. This summer, he will be rounding out his technical experience with an internship as a photo retoucher for David Yurman.
From Fellowship to Full Time at The Bronx Museum
Alex Montané, BA Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis ’14; MA Art and Design Education ’21, first got connected with The Bronx Museum through Heather Lewis, professor of art and design education, and Patrick Rowe, MFA Fine Arts (Printmaking) ’13; MS Art and Design Education ’14, and visiting associate professor in Art and Design Education, who serves as the director of education and public engagement at The Bronx Museum.
“Many of the artists, educators, administrators, and members associated with The Bronx Museum have some connection with Pratt,” said Rowe. “There is an understanding that Pratt students receive a rigorous introduction to the NYC arts ecosystem. This means that these students are prepared to contribute to that ecosystem right away, which is a huge asset.”
As a fellow, Montané got to know the museum’s education programs from the inside out, from tour booking and calendar management to assisting with the museum’s family programs. “Having an understanding of how my work directly impacts the community I work in was something I am able to understand because of what I learned at Pratt,” she said. Montané also wrote her master’s thesis about bilingual museum education based on a case study of The Bronx Museum’s educational approach.
A few years later, after working other jobs, Montané returned to The Bronx Museum once more, where she advanced to her current role as education programs manager. “My advice for students seeking internships in my field is to be open to many different opportunities and to try them all out to see where you might fit in,” said Montané. “This may look like shadowing different employees during your internship to get a sense of their role so that when it comes time for you to seek a position, you’ve seen all the places you can possibly fit in and have an easier time finding your niche.”
Art Therapy and Beyond at The Living Museum
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![Colorful abstract artworks cover the floor and walls.]()
Artworks at The Living Museum. Image courtesy of Dani Coates -
![2D and 3D artworks arranged in a corner.]()
Artworks at The Living Museum. Image courtesy of Dani Coates
Na Rae Yun, MPS Art Therapy and Creativity Development ’25, was placed in an exciting and unconventional internship as part of the clinical experience required to earn her art therapy degree. The Living Museum, based in Queens, New York City, showcases art created by patients at the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center and houses the largest collection of outsider art in the United States. The museum’s director and Yun’s supervisor, Dr. Mitra Reyhani Ghadim, is also a visiting associate professor of creative arts therapy at Pratt, and Pratt organizes yearly field trips to the museum for the students to visit.
The creative and clinical environment provided Yun with a window into new possibilities of art therapy, combining both therapeutic practice with museum-related work. “I feel that the Museum really expanded my way of looking at mental health,” said Yun. “It gave me an experience in a holistic framework that looks at multiple domains of a client’s life to determine their health, such as their physical, emotional, mental, and social abilities. I was encouraged to push my creative thinking to use art in a way to enhance the client’s life as a whole.”
As an art therapy intern, Yun is responsible for leading a journaling group, co-facilitating an open art therapy group and cinema group, and providing clients with one-on-one attention and support. On the museum side, she also contributes by framing clients’ work, exhibiting it in the space, or helping prepare it to be transported to galleries around the city. “The Museum is a place where the clients can build an artist identity and not be confined to the often stigmatized identity of a patient with mental health diagnosis,” said Yun.
Beyond clinical experience, the internship also strengthened Yun’s critical thinking skills. The experience, said Yun, “inspires me to broaden my perspective as a person, not just as an art therapist. I was taught not to feel limited by pre-existing frameworks or theories, but to really study them, understand them, and then grow my own, unique therapist voice.”