TTU alumnus Chris Kiley has found a home for himself in Austin, Texas as the Associate Director for "Texans for the Arts." His job revolves around protecting and promoting public arts policy and tax policy that allows for a strong arts and culture scene across the state. He credits the work he is doing now to groundwork laid in place while still at Texas Tech.

"It all started in 2013 when I was in Dr. Linda Donahue's Arts and Advocacy class," says Kiley. "Texans for the Arts came to Texas Tech to do a workshop about arts leadership and advocacy training that helps people who have never been involved in a world of advocacy to help people in their communities."

Kiley introduced himself to Ann Graham, who led the workshop, netting himself an invite to the National Arts Advocacy Day, a trip made possible in part due to the generous travel funds afforded to Texas Tech students.

"I was able to go to Washington, D.C. for advocacy training, being on the front line to talk to elected officials, sitting down with lawmakers and legislative aides. We talked about how advocacy works, and my background in theatre was important in telling the story of arts. Just talking data and facts is a little boring. The trick is going into the meeting and being able to tie that information to a personal story."

Kiley's own personal story at Texas Tech gave hints of what was to come upon his graduation.

"During my time at Tech as part of my assistantship, I worked on a large federal grant called the East Lubbock Promise Neighborhood Grant (ELPN). That grant led to working with Dunbar Middle School and the elementary school across the street. I provided after school enrichment programs for students to do creative art making, to provide them with instruction they might not get during school hours. I continued that work when I moved to Austin. One of my crowning achievements was taking a class of students who were at a 40% pass rate and we got them to 100% using theatre techniques. It was a great opportunity to capture data and research and to show how arts can help students learn in a creative way, allowing them to improve test scores."

Kiley is able to speak fondly about his work with Dr. Donahue and how it has prepared him for life as an arts advocate.

"She works really hard to generate opportunities for her students. She teaches us not only the basics, but as we hone the things that are important to us, she helps build those relationships and opportunities. What really separates her from others is the investment in particular interest area of students, going out of her way to help you move forward in your field and specialization."

Kiley believes that there is only so much that the academic world can do to prepare you for a dynamic workplace in an ever-shifting arts landscape. Even so, he feels that Texas Tech does a lot to get students off on the right foot.

"There is no set of classes that prepares you fully for the real world. What Tech provides are the fundamentals. The faculty promotes getting off campus and into the real world to further educate and open our eyes to what is happening. I appreciate that in the philosophy of the TTU program. I have made lasting friendships and professional relationships with classmates. Texas Tech provides a top-notch education in both coursework and the emphasis on real-world development outside of Lubbock, and it has been one of the most important and influential things in my career."