The Office of Entrepreneurship & Career Development is thrilled to welcome five talented students as interns for the 2025-2026 academic year! Solomon Abang, Julianna Banfe, Connor Bitterman, Sehyun Paik, and Marlena Wagschal will join the OECD professional staff to help program, manage, and produce events, run a vibrant blog, website, & several social media platforms, and actively research activities within the music profession, providing JSoM students with resources and support they need.
MEEET THE 25-26 OECD INTERNS
SOLOMON ABANG – Media
Email | LinkedIn | Website
Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Solomon Temitope Abang has been a professional musician for over a decade. In 2020, he received the international David Baker Scholarship Award from the Jazz Education Network in New Orleans. He has collaborated on projects with composers and chamber musicians, including two albums released by MSR Classics and Albany Records. A passionate visual storyteller, he also works in photography and videography. Solomon is currently pursuing a Doctor of Music in trumpet performance with a minor in education at Indiana University and serves as a 2025 Venture Capital Fellow with the IU Ventures Program.
JULIANNA BANFE – Manager
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Julianna Banfe is a soprano and B.M. student in Voice Performance, with a minor in Business. She co-founded and serves as co-music director of The Bloomingtones, an all-treble a cappella group that has performed at international competitions and IU’s Little 500. Julianna has also performed with NOTUS, the Oratorio Chorus, and Conductors’ Choruses. This summer, she makes her operatic role debut as Celia in Handel’s Silla with Chicago Summer Opera.
CONNOR BITTERMAN – Engagement
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Connor Bitterman is a Minneapolis-based trumpet player and arts administrator committed to building connections between artists, organizations, and communities. He holds a B.M. in Trumpet Performance from St. Olaf College and is currently pursuing his M.M. in Trumpet. Connor has performed with the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra, Bloomington Symphony Orchestra (Minnesota), Dallas Brass, St. Olaf Band, and St. Olaf Orchestra. His arts administration experience includes roles with the St. Olaf Libraries, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Tanglewood Music Center, and Lakes Area Music Festival.
SEHYUN PAIK – Special Projects
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Born in Seoul, South Korea, Sehyun Paik is a jazz DM student, composer, and vocalist whose work spans Asia, Europe, and North America. He blends traditional jazz with avant-garde and contemporary styles, earning recognition such as “Rising Talent” at Austria’s MM Jazz Nachwuchsförderung and a nomination at Ukraine’s Master-Jam Fest. Sehyun holds a Graduate Performer Diploma from IU, a Master of Arts from the Music and Art University of the City of Vienna, and a BA from the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz. He has taught in the IU Jazz department as an Assistant Instructor, directing All Campus Jazz Combo/Ensemble and assisting courses including jazz theory, improvisation, and history.
MARLENA WAGSCHAL – Communications
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Marlena Wagschal is a soprano and first year Master’s student studying Vocal Performance. She enjoys performing a variety of styles, including opera, contemporary vocal repertoire, jazz, and musical theater. At IU, Marlena has sung with NOTUS, Conductors’ Chorus, IU Opera Chorus, and the IU Singing Hoosiers, in which she served as the Director of Social Media and Web for two years. Aside from her musical interests, she also has a passion for design, photography, visual arts, and connecting with local animals! Marlena is a Bloomington native and 2025 graduate of the Jacobs School, from which she received her Bachelor’s in Vocal Performance with an Outside Field in Spanish. She is excited to continue her academic journey at IU and contribute to the mission of the OECD!