By the Way Berkshires, Williamstown, MA
Kate Abbott ’00 runs By the Way Berkshires, a digital magazine highlighting arts and culture in Berkshire County. She focuses on conversations, storytelling and community-building as well as the revitalization of arts in small towns throughout the county. By the Way Berkshires features stories about theater performances, museums, exhibitions, galleries, local farms, farm-to-table restaurants and many other forms of experimental and innovative arts. My day-to-day work involved attending various sites, events, press reviews and places of interest and writing articles about them. I solicited and interviewed local residents for articles, took photographs to document trips and created video content for Instagram. I was particularly proud of a piece I wrote about The Barn at the Williams Inn, as well as a review of a restaurant I discovered, Nudel, which is now my favorite restaurant in the county.
My time with By the Way Berkshires opened a new world to me. I have always loved museums, but now I have learned to keep track of exhibitions and plan to go to as many as possible in the future. I attended theater performances in the past, but I did not actively seek them out. The joy the performances brought me this summer is something I want to recreate for the rest of my life. My exploration of Berkshire County with Kate brought me beloved memories beyond what I’ve experienced during my time at Williams. I realized that there are so many fascinating and wonderful things out there to discover; I feel more connected to the world around me and to the people in it. This internship has taught me to try more new things and to engage in more discussions with people whose beliefs and worldviews differ to mine. My internship has shown me that I should pursue the things that I want to do, even if there’s risk involved. It also renewed my interest in traveling and for longer periods of time, and I have begun thinking about new ways of deepening my travel experiences and seeking out more experiences. In fact, I am proposing a Winter Study project in Japan because I have always wanted to go there. I am also planning on applying to graduate schools for creative writing, history, feminist studies and arts as well as applying for fellowships. My experience allowed me to take the time to slow down and think about what I want in life and to value pursuing a path that is mine. I know that I am a writer and that it is worth striving for what I truly want to do, even with the uncertainty.
I want to give my deepest thanks to Kate Abbott and the Class of 1966 as well as to Dawn Dellea, Nicole Allen, and the entire ’68 Center for Career Exploration for this exceptional personal, educational and career opportunity. Last summer I thought that my summer internship was the best work experience I have ever had, but this internship has been absolutely remarkable. My time at By the Way Berkshires was unforgettable, and I’m grateful for the immeasurable personal and professional impact it has had on me.