We are proud to announce this week’s Campus Celebrity: Kevin Ith! Kevin is a hilarious, charming, and talented senior at Connecticut College. With a Government major and History minor, he is incredibly studious and academically talented. You may know him through CCASA, which just organized the dance show Fusion or just from running into him around campus– he seems to make friends wherever he goes! Kevin has quite the impressive resume, having worked for companies such as Marc Jacobs International and studying at Oxford University this past summer! Read on to learn more about Kevin, our latest Campus Celebrity!!
Class Year: 2014
Major/Minor: Government major; History minor
Hometown: Bridgeport, CT
Extracurricular Activities: CCASA, Unity House Ambassador, Fusion
We hear you’ve had some pretty amazing internships over the past few years. Can you tell us a little bit about them?
Well, I began interning in high school for Congressman Jim Himes, which led me to major in government at Conn. After my freshmen year, I wanted to intern in New York City and do something completely different from my government major, so I landed an internship at a designer showroom in SoHo. I’ve always been interested in art and design, but I was never good at drawing. I applied to Parsons and got in, but I decided that the education and resources at Conn would allow me to pursue any field I was interested in.
At the end of my sophomore year, I was interviewing for internships with Vogue, Lucky, Michael Kors, and Marc Jacobs International. It was crazy! I decided that I would return to SoHo and intern for Marc Jacobs’ Marc by Marc accessories line with his product development team. It was surreal, but it was long hours and unpaid. During my internship, I did receive two Marc by Marc handbags, which was great and shared an elevator with Marc a few times! While interning at Marc Jacobs, I was interviewing for Christies in London. I studied abroad in London the autumn of my junior year and was apart of Christies London’s two-week work experience. I met Pippa Middleton at an art gallery party! That was really cool.
My most recent internship was this past summer, when I interned for an interior designer in Rowayton, CT. One of my favorite moments was attending the CTC&G magazine innovation design award and the company winning an award for interior design!
What internship was your favorite and why?
That’s a difficult question. If I had to choose, my favorite internship was with Christies in London. I didn’t know what to expect and was in a different country. I was thrown right into the fire and learning from head specialists from different departments. Many of the specialists who I spoke to never majored in art history, but had an interest in the art field.
What advice would you give to those trying to get their dream internship?
Well, I think every girl or sensibly fashionable guy would love to intern in fashion, but its not like The Hills. Most of my fashion and art internships involved hard work and long hours. Also, do everything possible to get in the door and collect as many business cards as you can! I really appreciated CELS at Conn for helping with my resume and teaching me how to present myself professionally. It’s a great part of Conn’s education and helped me get my top internships.
We know that you studied abroad in London and spent some of this past summer there. If you had to choose, U.S.A. or U.K.?
I studied abroad in London the fall of my junior year and the summer before my senior year, I studied abroad in Oxford. U.S.A. would be my definite pick. As much as I love the UK, pimms, great cider, and Downton Abbey, nothing is better than being home in the US. Some day I hope to return to London, but for now my goal is to explore more of the US.
Do you have any plans for after graduation?
It’s really scary to think about leaving Conn, but right now I’m hoping to move back home and figuring out where I want to work. I’m applying to a few jobs and internships so hopefully (crossed fingers) I’ll get something.