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Anna Elisabeth Metzger
Administrative Assistant, Office of Student Affairs

Born in Seoul, South Korea, and raised in Cape Elizabeth, Me., Anna Elisabeth Metzger attended Dickinson College where she received a bachelor’s degree in art and art history. She worked as director of Dickinson’s orientation program, organized to welcome some 600 incoming students, and joined the staff at Juilliard in October 2008.

(Photo by Sabrina Tanbara)

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What is one of your favorite memories from your years at Juilliard?
In general my favorite memories from my time here are seeing students perform, whether in a formal production, recital, or jam session. One of my favorite memories is watching one of my work-study students and first friend here take a bow at the end of a wonderful performance in The Americans.   

What job at Juilliard would you like to try out for a day and why?
I would want to work in Production. From wigs and costumes to set design, they always do an amazing job and I think it would be great to surround myself with such talented visual artists. 

What is the strangest or most memorable job you’ve ever had and what made it so?
The best job I’ve ever had was working in a small kayak shop for Seaspray Kayaking Company. I worked in a tiny shack on the side of the road in New Brunswick, Me., where I taught classes, guided tours, maintained boats, and worked on building a new dock. I’m a true Pisces and was raised near the ocean, so this job was perfect! 

If out of the blue your boss said to take the day off, what would you do with your free time?
I would spend the day in Central Park, my favorite spot in the city!  

Many Juilliard staff members are also artists. How do you balance your job and your artistic endeavors? 
I studied art and art history at Dickinson College and specialized in printmaking. I decided I wasn’t invested in my art enough to pursue printmaking after college, and I knew that I wanted a future in higher education.

What other pursuits are you passionate about?
I still have a dream of living in Maine and working as a river guide. Until that time, however, I would love to continue my work in higher education and am currently applying to graduate schools to pursue a master’s degree.

Where would you most like to travel and what draws you to that place?
I would love to go to Colorado! I haven’t been to that many places within the States, and Colorado’s definitely at the top of my list. The only problem is deciding which season to go. I’d love to go during the winter because even though I grew up in Maine, I’ve never seen the amounts of snow they get and I think it would be beautiful. On the other hand, what I really want to do is kayak and be in the water as much as possible! So I’m leaning towards a summer trip.

What might people be surprised to know about you?
People might be surprised to know that I’m a whitewater kayaker—but if you’ve read to this point it’s probably not much of a surprise. I think people would be surprised to know that I’m the second youngest of six and the aunt of 11!

What CD are you listening to right now … and what can you tell us about it? 
I’ve been listening to a lot of Jack Johnson lately. He’s been one of my favorites for years now, and I never get tired of his voice. I prefer his older albums, and my current album of choice is On and On. Listen to the song Traffic in the Sky!   

What is your favorite thing about New York City? 
My favorite thing about New York City is Central Park, specifically getting lost in the Ramble … literally. I love being in a place with actual grass and trees, even though you can still see buildings and it’s touristy in the summer. I’ll take what I can get!

 

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