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Solon grad rocking and rolling in internship
(by Sue Reid - April 13, 2012)
Solon grad rocking and rolling in internship
By SUE REID
When the 27th annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum induction ceremony takes place Saturday (April 14), a Solon High School graduate will have played an integral role.
Lauren Kotmel, a 2007 graduate who now lives in Shaker Heights, has been assisting in the day-to-day operations leading up to the big event as an intern in the museum's marketing and communications department.
Ms. Kotmel, who provides support for major Rock Hall events as part of her responsibilities, has been facilitating the media check-ins for concerts such as Girl Talk and the "Concert of Cleveland," featuring Kid Cudi, George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic. She also has been monitoring press coverage surrounding inductions.
"I am proud to have the opportunity to do meaningful work and actively engage in the Rock Hall's events," she said.
As an intern, Ms. Kotmel assists with the Rock Hall's presence on online social networks and interacts with the various requests by the museum's visitors. She also assists with media relations, including facilitating media crews and interviews.
Ms. Kotmel, who is working toward her master of arts at John Carroll University in nonprofit administration with an emphasis in museum and arts organizations, will spend this spring at the Rock Hall as part of her graduate studies research requirements.
"I am passionate about music, so it is a perfect fit for me, as the Rock Hall is the world's only museum devoted to rock 'n' roll," Ms. Kotmel said. "It is an honor to be a part of an innovative organization that is dedicated to not only its collections but also its education programs.
"The Rock Hall has an entire spirit all its own that everyone should experience," she said. "These internships are very competitive, and I feel blessed to be involved during such a tremendously exciting time for Cleveland."
Her work in public relations began as a student at Solon High School, where she was inspired by her journalism teachers, she said. For two years at Solon, Ms. Kotmel served as director of public relations for the Courier, the student-led publication.
"I still consider the Courier one of my most meaningful experiences," she said. "It is in Room 201, where I fell in love with the public relations field." Her advisers entrusted her with major projects which required thinking outside the box, she said. "They constantly empowered me to always go bigger than what seemed possible."
Ms. Kotmel, who earned her bachelor of arts from Kent State University in 2011, said it was after spending last year interning at the office of public affairs at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., that she became fascinated with museums. Her future goal is to stay involved with museums in Cleveland, primarily in a sector of communications-public relations, she said.
"Cleveland is a flourishing city with an inspired arts-and-culture scene," Ms. Kotmel said. "I am thrilled to continue forward in this field after completing my master's in August," she said. "But for right now, I am at home at the Rock Hall."
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