Interning with the Academy of Country Music last spring, senior Emily Frech helped stage one of the organization’s largest fundraising events in Las Vegas — an experience that confirmed the career path she hopes to pursue.
A marketing and Clifton Builders management major from Erie, Colorado, Frech has never been one to shy away from new opportunities, a mindset she credits to her entrepreneurial mother. So when her manager during her Huskers internship encouraged her to apply for an internship with the Academy of Country Music, Frech did not hesitate.
When she was not selected for the position, however, she moved on.
“I had totally moved on,” Frech said with a laugh. “I had all these plans in place to get more involved in ASUN (Association of Students of the University of Nebraska), but my manager sat me down and said, ‘No, you’re doing this, and it will change your life. I’m going to watch you submit this application.’ And, of course, she ended up being right.”
Looking back, Frech said she cannot believe she questioned applying again. Although she had gained professional experience through internships since high school, her semester in Nashville with the Academy of Country Music was unlike anything she had done before.
“I was absolutely floored by my experience,” she said. “Getting to move to a new city for a semester and work in the heart of the music industry was so surreal.”
As an intern with the ACM’s philanthropic arm, Frech worked on a small team responsible for organizing Country on the Green, an annual Topgolf fundraising tournament that concludes with a country music concert featuring major artists.
“Our team was in charge of Country on the Green,” Frech said. “There were so many moving parts and only three of us on our team, so I really got to touch every tiny detail of putting together a massive event like this.”
From coordinating logistics to managing behind-the-scenes details, Frech gained firsthand experience in event production. When the event finally arrived, and she watched months of planning come together, she realized she had found the work she wanted to pursue.
“When the golf ended, and they started constructing the stage, I got so emotional,” Frech said. “I couldn’t believe this was finally all happening. I was so enamored with the experience of working on this. I’ve always wanted to work in events and am so thankful for this incredible experience I’ve gotten in this industry.”
I’ve always wanted to work in events and am so thankful for this incredible experience I’ve gotten in this industry.
– Emily Frech
