Abril Olivares Nolasco ’26J
Career Development
The key to being a writer? Expose yourself to a variety of experiences, commit to your creative pursuits, and talk to as many people as you can.
These are among the many tips shared with Abril Olivares Nolasco ’26J at a career trek (a group visit with employers) to New York, where she met with Smith alums and their colleagues at The New Yorker and other media firms. “I learned that in order to make a successful and meaningful career, it is important to be open to experience and to literally just put yourself out there!” says the psychology major.
In her exploration of a writing career, Abril joined the Arts, Media, and Communications career community and met with Debra Immergut, the group advisor who brings to her role years of experience as an editor, journalist at major publications, and teacher and author of fiction.
“Debra made sure to create a wonderful environment for students,” says Abril. “She has made us feel validated and emphasized that it’s extremely valuable to pursue a career in a creative field.” Immergut also provided tips on how to make a living in writing, how to expand networks within the media world, and how to create a high-quality portfolio.
“The career communities and the one-on-one advising have allowed me to craft successful internship applications as well as get valuable feedback on portfolios or elevator pitches.”
“The career communities and the one-on-one advising have allowed me to craft successful internship applications as well as get valuable feedback on portfolios or elevator pitches,” says Abril. “I would highly encourage students to visit the Lazarus Center because you can get information about fellowships, grad school, interview tips, and more.” She has participated in many Lazarus Center services, including mock interview prep with an alum who helped Abril practice and develop skills for real-world interviews. “I got feedback on how to highlight my skills and past experience without losing valuable parts of my personality,” says Abril.
In the summer of 2024, Abril worked in Los Angeles with a Smith alum on an upcoming documentary, where she researched, connected with collaborators, and learned the fundamentals of documentary projects. Smith’s internship funding through the Praxis program helped make this opportunity possible. She also worked on an essay which she hopes to get published in The New York Times Modern Love section.
Contact Us
To make an endowed gift or to learn more about supporting career development at Smith, please contact Betsy Carpenter ’93, associate vice president for development, at 413-585-2052 or ewcarpen@smith.edu.