Field Work Term Spotlight: Killion Knight
At Bennington, Killion Knight '25 studies Drama, along with Creative Writing, Dance, and Philosophy. During the summer, Knight completed a Field Work Term experience at Advocacy Resources, Inc., a nonprofit working to connect queer individuals in need of support to mental and physical health resources.
At Bennington, students spend six weeks every year taking their skills and knowledge out of the classroom and applying them in the world of work. They use this annual work-learning opportunity—known as Field Work Term—to deepen their studies, challenge and test new ideas, and hone their direction for the future.
How did your FWT relate to (or diverge from!) your studies at Bennington?
My work with Advocacy Resources, Inc. (ADVO) was not directly connected to my Plan in a traditional way, and I knew that going into a position in a startup as a theater student. Nevertheless, ADVO helped me to understand the importance of considering and centering respect, accessibility, accuracy, and trust when representing or centering work around or involving marginalized peoples. As a writer and performer, accuracy and respectful representation is crucial to my work creatively, no matter the topic or setting.
What did a typical day at your FWT site look like?
Since I was working remotely over the course of this Field Work Term, most of my work days consisted of midday Zoom meetings and a variety of tasks interspersed throughout: researching available grants, creating a list of organizations whose values conflict with the message of the organization (therefore disqualifying them from involvement with ADVO), and even arranging Instagram live streams for the company social media page.
What surprised or challenged you the most about your position?
The entirety of the position was a surprise, as I had no clear idea what would be needed of me or what skills I would have to develop over the course of this FWT. Most of what I ended up working on was new and novel, researching sketchy organizations and organizing keywords to help future interns keep referencing going forward were significant challenges when compared to what I've worked on in prior projects, but I cannot express how fulfilling the experience of learning and developing these talents actively was.
What do you hope to do in the future—for your next FWT and beyond Bennington?
While working with ADVO was a wonderful experience, I'm looking forward to future FWT projects in fields closer to my areas of study! I have worked as a co-stage manager previously, and I am excited to find more advanced work in my coming senior year in theater or performance work and use the talents I've learned and developed over the course of my Bennington career in the field.