A word from the PAS intern alums …

I cannot say enough about how valuable the PAS internship was for me. During the course of the internship I learned a lot about being a part of an office staff, met many great industry professionals, and got to interact with many of my percussion and drumming heroes. One of the things I enjoyed most was getting to work with the PAS instrument collection and learn more about the evolution of modern percussion instruments and the proper care of these instruments. From the first day of the internship, you are thrown into the mix right away. Unlike other internships where you might do small things to assist a company, the PAS internship is treated like a real position where you have many responsibilities and duties to fulfill. I am very grateful to have had this opportunity to work with PAS and would encourage others to apply for the internship without any hesitation.

Heath Towson
PAS Programs and Operations Coordinator
Spring 2011 Intern

Once you've been to PASIC, it's hard not to think that PAS headquarters must be located in an office building big enough to have its own zip code.  Shortly after arriving in Indianapolis I was both shocked and pleased to learn otherwise, amazed at what just a handful of people can do (myself included!). Each day brought about a different learning opportunity:  I documented facts about the manufacturers of instruments I’ve practiced; fixed membership issues for those who wrote the method books I’ve studied; and inventoried donations from those who wrote the pieces I’ve performed. In just six months I was able to obtain an appreciation and understanding of the percussion industry that will undoubtedly affect my musical endeavors for a lifetime.  The experience was humbling, invigorating, and fun!

Meghan Johnson
Music Educator
Spring 2009 Intern

The Percussive Arts Society internship was a launching pad for my journey within the music industry. Through my involvement with PASIC, the PAS publications, and the PAS museum and library, the internship helped me discover career opportunities in the music industry that can unlock my full potential. Assisting with PASIC allowed me to gain and maintain contact with artists and educators alike, as well as introducing me to a variety of job opportunities available in the music industry. Working with the country’s most extensive collection of percussion instruments and literature afforded me an exclusive opportunity to meet knowledgeable, passionate percussionists from around the country. Along with the relative field experience any internship offers, the PAS internship allows each intern the freedom to be creatively constructive. With unending support and inspiration from the entire PAS Team, I was able to truly contribute to the future of the internship and the organization.

Kelly Strait
Formerly Web/Social Media Content Management, Educational Support, Artist Relations at Pro-Mark Drumsticks; currently a graduate student at the University of Notre Dame
Fall 2007 Intern

Anyone interested in becoming an intern with PAS can be assured they will have a great work environment, gain experience through a wide variety of projects and tasks, and make a large number of industry contacts that are crucial in building one's career. PAS gives their interns a great deal of freedom and personal responsibility which allows them to create their own experience catered to their specific goals. From my first day in the PAS offices, I was treated as another staff member, not as an intern who runs errands. I was given a great many real tasks and responsibilities and further given the space and freedom to find my own ways of accomplishing them. PAS interns will encounter no training-wheels or safety nets, just priceless real world experiences. Playing a key role in the production of a major event like PASIC, interacting with high-profile artists, and dealing with major manufacturers, publishers, and educators are just a few of the many things I was able to list on my resume just six months after completing my undergraduate degree. Without doubt, these experiences have given me a competitive edge over my peers as well as a great deal of confidence as I further my career in the music and audio industries.

Jeff Piper
Recording Engineer/Producer, Chicago Recording Company, Chicago IL
Fall 2004 Intern

The remarkable internship at PAS provided the essential music industry experience and professional contacts that made me a marketable candidate in the music industry. I developed professionally through my intense involvement in the planning and implementation of PASIC and other responsibilities at the PAS office. Not only did I assist in the building of an internationally-acclaimed nonprofit organization, but I also created many long-lasting friendships and contacts in the percussion world and throughout the entire music industry.

Jon Feustel
Senior Specialist, In Store Marketing, Target Corporation
Fall 2003 Intern

Working as the first ever PAS intern in 1993 provided me with the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the percussion industry while utilizing the theories that I studied as a Music Business major at Western Illinois University. The PAS internship was my springboard into the music products industry. As an intern, I was able to network with the owners and managers of every drum and percussion company. This networking opportunity eventually led to multiple job offers upon the completion of the program. I have worked with major percussion manufacturers like Yamaha, Sabian, Pro Mark and Zildjian, and in 2003, I started my own percussion sales and marketing company. I have been involved with PAS in a variety of capacities since 1987 and will continue my involvement throughout my career. The internship at PAS helped my career in the percussion industry. I do not think I could have been as successful in the industry if I had not been an intern at PAS.

David Kelley
President, Kelley International Sales & Marketing, Inc.
Vice President, Tycoon Percussion
Fall 1993 Intern