Clark University junior Chelsea Kryspin, of Fairfield, shares her role in WaterFire event

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Chelsea Kryspin (center) poses with Jamie Leiva, Special Events Assistant at WaterFire Providence (left) and Paul Kochanek, Director of Events & Operations at WaterFire Providence (right)

WORCESTER, MA (11/25/2013)(readMedia)-- Clark University junior Chelsea C. Kryspin, of Fairfield, Conn., recently presented, "Special Events and Operations at WaterFire" at Fall Fest, an event at which Clark students showcase work they accomplished over the summer. Kryspin created a poster about her experience as a special events and operations intern for WaterFire Providence, a permanent art exhibition in downtown Providence.

Kryspin's was one of 108 projects classified as a Liberal Education and Effective Practice (LEEP) Project. LEEP Projects allow students to creatively address problems and apply their knowledge in authentic workplace settings prior to graduation. They also enable students to work closely with faculty mentors and Clark alumni and business partners on projects of shared interest or leading-edge research and analysis.

Kryspin assisted with set up and breakdown of event venues; she worked with volunteers to complete tasks and projects, and conducted research on event-related artwork and performance.

Reflecting on her experience, Kryspin emphasized the importance of "being able to think on your feet, working minute by minute and just understanding the large picture of what needs to be done."

The student said her prior experience as a tech director for Clark Musical Theatre helped prepare her for her role. "Working on a theater production, everything is last minute; everything is on the go," she said.

Kryspin is using what she learned at WaterFire in her current internship in Clark's Office of Student Leadership and Programming. She hopes to pursue a career in events planning and management.

Kryspin kept a blog while fulfilling her duties for WaterFire. In it, she logs her thoughts about preparing for her internship, operating during uncertain times, and lists challenges she faced while working in the "real world."

Kryspin is a member of the Class of 2014; she majors in Asian Studies and minors in management. Kryspin is vice president of OPEN, a student organization that serves the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans* and queer (LGBTQ) communities through education and awareness of LGBTQ issues, while providing a safe space and open forum for all students. She is also a member of the Clark University Concert and Chamber Choirs.

She is also the recipient of a Bridging Scholarship for Study Abroad in Japan.

Kryspin is a 2010 graduate of Fairfield Ludlowe High School.

For a glimpse at some of this year's other LEEP Projects, visit http://www.clarku.edu/leep/pioneers2013.cfm.

Founded in 1887 in Worcester, Massachusetts, Clark University is a small, liberal arts-based research university addressing social and human imperatives on a global scale. Nationally renowned as a college that changes lives, Clark is emerging as a transformative force in higher education today. LEEP (Liberal Education and Effective Practice) is Clark's pioneering model of education that combines a robust liberal arts curriculum with life-changing world and workplace experiences. Clark's faculty and students work across boundaries to develop solutions to complex challenges in the natural sciences, psychology, geography, management, urban education, Holocaust and genocide studies, environmental studies, and international development and social change. The Clark educational experience embodies the University's motto: Challenge convention. Change our world.