We all know that Davidson students accomplish a lot after graduation. The alumni who come back to campus look successful and wise and everything we want to be in a few years. How do they live without meal plan and laundry service? How did they go from a wide-eyed first year wildcat to a full-blown, fully functioning adult? In a continuation of the “Wildcats All Grown Up” series that spotlights flourishing Davidson alumnae, meet Lila Allen-Davis, a literary and artistically-inclined New Yorker who’s working at one of the world’s top museums.
Name: Lila Allen-Davis
Current Job: Assistant Creative Manager at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Class Year: 2009
Davidson Major: Art History
Eating House Affiliation: Rusk House
Davidson Activities: Libertas, Hobart Park, Davidson Outdoors, WALT
If you had to give a one-minute elevator pitch to describe your job, what would it be?
I work in the Met’s merchandising division, serving as liaison between the Museum and our creative agency. My work primarily focuses on the creative assets in the mail-order catalogue—how the catalogue is assorted, which items are highlighted, and how the product is presented.
What makes you excited to go to work every day?
Being at one of the greatest museums in the world is an incredible experience. Every day, I can go visit a Rembrandt portrait, an Egyptian sarcophagus, an Assyrian palace guard, or Washington Crossing the Delaware. I don’t think it will ever get old! I also find my colleagues inspiring—many are at the top of their field, and still continue to learn every day.
What does a typical day on the job look like for you (if there is a typical day!)?
It varies by the time of the year! Depending on what month you catch me, I’ll be in a different stage of production. That can mean anything from reviewing sales reports and determining which items are candidates for the catalogue, to assorting the product into pages, to “turning over” the catalogue to the agency, to organizing materials for photo shoots, to proofreading, to seeing the catalogue printed on press.
How did your Davidson education and Art History major help you achieve your career goals? How have you translated what you learned at Davidson (inside and outside the classroom) into your career?
I left Davidson with a great base in art history, which I do think helps me understand unfamiliar or contemporary, more challenging works of art in a broader context. This has proven to be an asset to me as I’ve worked in museums, as a part of my job (previously, as an educator, and now, as a communicator in marketing) is making work accessible to a broader audience.
Davidson students have reputations as being strong writers for a reason. I’ve continued to grow my writing practice since leaving school, but the lessons I learned there will always stick with me.
What advice would you give a Davidson student who’s interested in marketing and the arts? What skill sets do you think are valued the most in your industry?
I am a big believer in following opportunity. My career path was not one that I planned—I had a general idea of what I wanted to do, and things have fallen into place. I think that was largely because I was open to it. It can be challenging finding a job in the arts—it’s an endurance test filled with unpaid internships, volunteering, and lots of job applications. But stick with it. Reach out to your network, and your network’s network. Make yourself unforgettable. Stay sharp, read publications, and put your work out where it can be found. You never know who your next ally will be!
In my position, I think it’s important to be a strategic thinker, but also emotionally in tune with what resonates with your audience. I don’t know that I can speak for retail at large, since what I’m doing right now is fairly specialized, but I do know it’s always a good plan to be organized, trust your colleagues, and always do the best job you can.
You were an editor for Hobart Park and the Editor-in-Chief of Libertas while at Davidson. How do you stay connected to the literary community when your profession doesn’t directly involve literature?
Fortunately, I live in an awesome city for this type of thing! Around New York, there are great (and often free) events to keep this side of me engaged. It’s also a fun way to meet up with friends. Some places I like to keep tabs on are Franklin Park, KGB, and 2A, which hosts Flint Fiction and Big Umbrella Nonfiction.
There’s also the occasional, usually late-night creative itch where I’ll just sit down and write, but those are few and far between…!
When starting a new job, how do you dispel first-day-on-the-job jitters? How do you approach a new position and find your niche in the office?
I might be the wrong person to ask! I’m an eternal worrywart. A good night’s sleep, a new outfit, and a strong cup of coffee never hurt. If you’re like me, and working in a museum or gallery, go look at some art!
As for finding a niche—it depends on the office, I think. A big part of starting a new job, to me, is figuring out the culture. For example, in my case, there was a big difference in office and procedural dynamics between the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art—a small museum, just starting up, with a staff of fewer than 20—and the Met, which is obviously a very well established museum with a staff of over 2000.
If you have the chance, grabbing coffee with colleagues from different departments is a great way to start wrapping your mind around the organizational dynamics. Not only will you build a network across the organization, you’ll also get a more global view of how the business works.
How do you stay centered in the fast-paced world of NYC? What brings you peace and stability?
So, this is kind of funny to me. I have always been a very messy person, as my Davidson roommates can attest. (Sorry, ladies.) My husband jokes I used to “live out of piles.” Since moving to NYC, I’ve made a total 180. It started with making my bed and grew from there. I now consider tidying very zen—I put on a podcast and go into my zone. It’s amazing how much this change has affected other bad habits. I’ve even stopped biting my nails! I’m also embarrassingly into boutique fitness—I love spin and yoga the most. I can’t believe it took me so long to find out I don’t hate exercise.
____ make(s) me nostalgic for my college days.
Cookout. Lake campus. Meal plan.
(Lila at the Musee d’Orsay during her semester abroad in France.)
My favorite class at Davidson was ____.
Maria Fackler’s 21st-Century British Fiction seminar. I wish Davidson offered a 21st-century art course!
In college, I would’ve been voted Most Likely to ____.
Not Be on Campus. Sorry, it’s true! I worked through college at an adorable craft gallery, and went to lots of parties, shows, and openings in Charlotte. No regrets!
You’re given the opportunity to have a coffee date with your 20 year-old-self. What advice would you give? Is there anything you would do differently?
Don’t be so stressed out! Everything will get done, and being anxious does not help your quality of work. This is something I’ve really worked to fix in myself over the past few years. It makes you a much more pleasant person to work with, and will make you a happier person. Cut yourself some slack!
Collegiettes—don’t wait until after graduation to take Lila’s advice. As students, we could all benefit from networking, de-stressing, and saying yes to opportunity. Who knows, some of you Art History majors might even follow in her footsteps someday!