Jade Ong graduated from Tufts University with B.A.s in Clinical Psychology and Art History. In her undergraduate years, she worked in neurology research at Massachusetts General Hospital, and studied the neuropsychological basis of creativity at Harvard. Prior to joining the Arts Administration program, she worked at Christie’s doing auction consignments and sales, lot evaluation, research, and events planning. She currently serves as the co-president of Student Advocates for the Arts at Columbia, and is a member of the Acquisitions Committee at the Solomon R. Guggenheim museum. Jade is originally from Singapore, and is fluent in both Mandarin and English.

What attracted you to the Arts Administration Program at Teachers College, Columbia University? The ARAD program is unique for its access to both Columbia Business School and Columbia Law School. I was attracted to the flexibility of tailoring a curriculum to my career goals and needs. I also value the program for its integration of visual and performing arts topics. I believe it provides us with an intersectional perspective on the arts, as well as a higher degree of career mobility.

How are your studies helping to advance your career goals? I am interested in the for-profit side of the visual arts sector. Classes at Columbia Business School have allowed me to learn the basics of financial analytics, while the ARAD core courses keep me grounded in considering the real life applications of these tools. Classes on arts practices and leadership have also facilitated invaluable conversations with arts professionals, and encourage us to think critically and inventively about challenges in the arts.

Describe student life as a member of the ARAD community. One of the best things about this program is the people you will meet. I couldn’t have imagined going through my graduate career with a more supportive, intelligent, and interesting group of people. Your professional aspirations are likely to be unique in a small cohort of 28 people, but it is much easier to commit to your own path when you have peers who both support you and academically challenge you.