From Finance to Fine Art: Lauren Urbanek's Journey

Internships are learning experiences. In their internships, AUP students apply the knowledge they’ve acquired in the classroom and hone skills that will help them succeed in their future careers. Sometimes students learn more about themselves than they expect. Internships allow them to test-drive possible careers while the stakes are still relatively low. In this AUP intern profile, Lauren Urbanek shares what brought her to Paris and why her internship has been "life-changing."

URBANEK Lauren Profile

Originally from Massachusetts, Lauren Urbanek has always harbored a love for writing, earning her undergraduate degree in English and linguistics from UMass Amherst. Despite this clear love for language and literature, her career path took an unexpected turn when she began working in the financial aid office of a higher education institution in Boston. “My first employer once told me that every job change involves a push and a pull,” Lauren recalls. This advice resonated deeply as she rose to the position of Financial Aid Director and later Associate Dean for Financial Aid. As if this weren’t enough, while working full time she also earned a Master's degree in Nonprofit Management from Northeastern University.

An avid traveler, Lauren’s numerous visits to Paris ultimately led her to choose AUP. “Paris and AUP were my ‘pull,’” she explains, sharing how a trip during the COVID-19 pandemic reignited her desire to live and study in the City of Light.

Lauren’s decision to study at AUP was driven by a desire to merge her nonprofit background with her passion for creative expression. She found AUP’s MA in Global Communications program to be the perfect fit, offering a curriculum rich in experiences and practical coursework. “There is something about studying abroad that facilitates self-reinvention,” Lauren says. “AUP embraces this, encouraging its students to travel in and outside Paris and to seek out internships.”

American Friends Musées d’Orsay et de l’Orangerie (AFMO) 

MA in Global Communication

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I’ve now been there nine months and I’m still in awe when I walk through the doors of the Orsay museum with my little badge.

– Lauren Urbanek
Lauren Urbanek on a childhood trip to Chateau Chambord
It was childhood trips like this one to Chateau Chambord in 1987 that first set Lauren on a path to studying at AUP.

Her internship with the nonprofit American Friends Musées d’Orsay et de l’Orangerie (AFMO) has been life-changing: “I’ve now been there nine months and I’m still in awe when I walk through the doors of the Orsay museum with my little badge.” The AFMO runs events to generate funding for the museum’s various exhibitions, restorations, and publications. Working with the association, Lauren has immersed herself in the Parisian art world, meeting inspiring artists and philanthropists, and touring exclusive gallery spaces.

Lauren’s journey has not been without its unique challenges, but she could not be more happy with the outcome. As an intern, even the errands she runs for staff members can be enchanting experiences such as delivering event tickets to dignitaries or photographing a priceless Van Gogh for Instagram. “This would not have been possible without AUP,” she acknowledges, expressing her gratitude for the unwavering support of professors like Sophie Kurkdjian, Noémie Oxley, and Waddick Doyle, who always understood that her “non-traditional student” status could be an asset. Lauren’s story is one of passion and hard work which, combined with a bit of serendipity, can make dreams come true.