Graduated in 2023, with a major in Music Business. Principal instrument: voice.
Position: Digital Communications Specialist at the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, a foundation started in the 1940s with a mission to “Advance social change that contributes to a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world.” Kerem handles much of the day-to-day execution of communications work: making images, posting on social media, sending emails. Much of the focus is on the work being done by organizations they fund. Kerem also promotes arts-related events at a seasonal arts festival which the foundation sponsors.
Overview: Kerem went to an arts high school and Berklee was the obvious choice for college, though he cared a lot about politics and social justice. As his time at Berklee was wrapping up, Kerem figured he wanted his career to go in a social justice direction. A friend suggested he apply for an internship at Telos, a group in Washington DC working on peace and mutual understanding in Israel/Palestine. Kerem applied and got the jobin September 2023, then weeks later the massive Hamas attack happend and the war started. “I felt the entire organization change overnight. It was chaotic. But it cranked us up and brought us closer, really gave us newfound hope.”
Kerem worked there as an intern for most of a year. Eventually, they offered him a full-time job, but they had waited to long–Kerem was already applying for other jobs so that he’d land on his feet when the internship ended. One of those resumes had gone to the Rockefeller Brothers Foundation, whose work really excited Kerem, plus it was based in New York City, where he is from, so he took that position.
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You can see Kerem’s LinkedIn profile here.
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Choice Quotes: “There are a lot of similarities with the arts. You cultivate community. You have ideas and want to cultivate an audience around it. The core identity of my work never changed, even though this is different. The simple thing you’re trying to do is connecting with people. I’m in my element and what makes me happy is the same as what did when I was in music.”
“I did well because I was doing work I was passionate about. If you want to consider something outside of music, making sure it’s something you’re passionate about where you’re not going to have to try to work hard is the most important thing.”
“At Berklee, we have faculty and classmates from all walks of life I got good at talking to folks and connecting /finding common ground with people from anywhere.”
“Communications is very similar to audience building in the arts. You have a lot of skills already at your disposal. When I applied to Telos I wrote down a bunch of stuff I’d done that even somehow related. Booking shows, things like that. There are a lot of creative elements in communications as well. Video, photography, speaking.”
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