From London to Cape Town, senior says ‘music is the global language’

For his final co-op at Northeastern, senior Jonathan Zhang flew halfway around the world to South Africa, where he spent six months working at the Cape Town Opera. Throughout this global experiential learning opportunity, Zhang saw his work responsibilities and professional opportunities expand as he assisted on a variety of productions. Here, Zhang—a music major concentrating in music industry—shared what he gained most from his Cape Town co-op and how it has fit in with his robust range of global experiences at Northeastern.

A job, and a quick promotion
Zhang’s co-op spanned from July to December 2016. He began as a production assistant, but was soon promoted to assistant to the artistic director. His work included a variety of duties across three in-house productions and three international tours. He helped book and audition artists, ensured the costume department’s needs were met, organized rehearsal schedules, helped record some of the music featured in the shows, and created and distributed promotional materials, among other responsibilities.