When Kalamazoo College student Randa Alnaas ’27 walked into the EPIC Center in downtown Kalamazoo, she wasn’t nervous. Instead, she felt curious and ready to learn about what happens behind the scenes of a professional performing arts organization.
Alnaas, a theatre arts and economics double major, recently completed a one-day job shadow with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra (KSO) as part of K in the Zoo, a program coordinated through the Career Studio at the Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD). The experience offered her a rare look into the administrative, marketing, and operational side of a major arts institution while helping her begin connecting two academic passions that often feel separate in the classroom.
“I wanted to learn more about the administrative side of the arts,” Alnaas said. “Whether it’s performing music or theater, I’ve always thought about how the business side supports the creative work.”
Alnaas learned about the opportunity through CCPD communications that highlighted available job shadows across a wide range of industries. Although options included fields such as finance and computer science, the KSO listing immediately stood out. After submitting her application and explaining her interest in arts administration, she was selected and connected with the KSO’s marketing team to arrange her visit.
From the moment she arrived, Alnaas said the experience felt thoughtfully planned. She received a detailed itinerary outlining who she would meet and what she would do throughout the day. Her visit began with a tour of the KSO offices inside the EPIC Center, which houses multiple arts-related organizations.
“It was nice to see that kind of creative community all in one building,” she said. “There were music organizations, film offices and so many arts-related jobs all in the same space.”
Throughout the day, Alnaas had meetings across departments including marketing, fundraising and executive leadership. She learned how audience-focused advertising differs from donor outreach, for example, and gained insight into how orchestras balance ticket pricing, fundraising and long-term sustainability.
One of the most impactful conversations was with KSO’s interim CEO Jonathan Martin, who shared stories from more than four decades in the industry.
“He was very passionate and encouraging,” Alnaas said. “We talked about competition in the arts, staying motivated and how important it is to love what you do.”
Many of those discussions centered on the KSO’s efforts to make orchestral music more inclusive and accessible. As the organization moves beyond its centennial celebration, the orchestra is undergoing a broader rebranding, rethinking its visual identity and outreach strategies to engage younger and more diverse audiences.
“That was meaningful for me,” Alnaas said. “Seeing an institution recognize its history and actively work to be more inclusive felt really powerful.”
In the afternoon, Alnaas shifted from the administrative world to the performance side of the organization. She observed an orchestra rehearsal ahead of a concert at Miller Auditorium and met with the stage manager, which was a highlight given her own experience in stage management at K’s Festival Playhouse and through the New York Arts Study Away Program.
“Even though there’s no script the same way there is in theater, there’s still so much coordination happening to support the musicians,” she said.
Alnaas noted how different rehearsals looked compared with formal concerts, with musicians dressed casually and working collaboratively.
“It really humanized the whole process,” she said.
The experience came full circle when Alnaas attended the concert the next evening using complimentary tickets provided by the KSO. Sitting in the audience, she recognized the people she had met just a day earlier and felt connected to the performance in a new way.
“I felt like part of their community,” she said. “It changed the way I experience live performances.”
Alnaas lived in Armenia for two years, where she first fell in love with the performing arts after attending an opera in the capital city of Yerevan. Although she attended several orchestral performances overseas, she said the KSO experience renewed her appreciation for Kalamazoo’s local arts scene.
Academically, the job shadow helped her bridge economics and theater in ways she hadn’t before. Learning about ticket pricing, budgeting and labor costs made classroom concepts tangible and applicable.
Although Alnaas said she doesn’t yet have a clearly defined career path, the jobs shadow experience expanded her sense of possibility. That’s exactly what she hopes other students take away from programs like K in the Zoo.
“Whatever the outcome, you learn more about yourself,” she said. “These opportunities are so valuable, and the CCPD does a great job preparing students and supporting us throughout the process.”
For Alnaas, job shadowing with the KSO affirmed something she already believed: it’s possible to build a meaningful career doing work you love, especially when education, experience, and curiosity come together.
“I’m finally connecting my majors,” she said. “Now I’m thinking analytically and creatively about theater, and practically about how economics works in real life.”