There is no such thing as a conventional path in the arts: one can perform, teach, direct, or pursue whatever path makes them excited to wake up in the morning. In light of that understanding, an academic business path may appear like a more conventional option. So, to be a performing artist and to be a Wharton student may feel like living two very different, yet parallel lives. Unless you are Nick Silverio, W’18. Nick’s story is proof that one does not have to adhere to convention, and that business and passion can coexist, or sometimes, even harmonize. 

Nick has always been a dancer and sees a true value in arts education because “you’re building a human, not just a dancer.” He grew up dancing competitively in Boston and then joined Arts House Dance Company here at Penn. He describes Platt House as a second home on campus. Nick became even more involved with the arts at Penn through the Performing Arts Council, where he served as the Dance Arts Council Chair, and through the Power of Penn fundraising campaign. This fundraising effort, which took place under Amy Gutmann’s tenure, demonstrated to stakeholders how integral the arts were to the Penn experience. Nick choreographed for and performed in fundraising events all across the country. As he looks back on his time dancing all across campus and beyond fondly, he shares “The arts are the reason we had fun at Penn.”

Though Nick was a Wharton student, he quickly realized he did not desire to be a banker or a consultant. He described how this realization hit him right before his final round interview for a top consulting firm: he knew he wanted to carve out his own path. Nick chose to pursue an individualized concentration in Commercial Dance Management. He decided to take three semesters off from Penn to dance professionally, wondering what it would be like to truly live as an artist. He credits the academic side of Penn with giving him a “strong foundation of skills” to build on, and he credits Arts House with helping him grow as a dancer and performer. Nick returned to finish up his degree and continued to dance professionally for several years after graduating.

When Nick was ready to combine his passion for the arts and his business knowledge into his next career move, Penn was once again there for him. Nick and another Arts House alum, Ramita Ravi, C’17, GR’20, co-founded Artswrk, a hiring platform for performing arts teachers, judges, and photographers. Artswrk brought structure to what used to be a very informal hiring process within the arts community. Now, studios, competitions, and conventions can easily hire people for the roles they need filled. In 2020, Nick entered the VIP-X (Accelerator) at Penn with Artswrk. He appreciates that arts startups were taken just as seriously as any other business venture and credits the opportunity with helping Artswrk get off the ground. In 2025, Artswrk was acquired by Ensemble Performing Arts.

Nick admits that breaking from the mold and pursuing the arts as a career is much easier said than done, but he has also found it to be deeply rewarding. His biggest piece of advice for Penn students who want to have a career in the arts is to stop comparing yourself to those around you: an arts career is inherently different from a corporate one. He believes that the best time to try a career in the arts is when you are young, as it is much harder to transition out of a corporate job than into one. Your Penn degree will always be there, but the ability to take a risk might not be.

Today, Nick can be found working on Artswrk and for the Mergers & Acquisitions team at Ensemble Performing Arts, in addition to performing with Broadway Cares and coaching [solidcore] classes in New York City. The arts have always been important to Nick, and participating in the arts at Penn showed him how that could translate that love into the incredible career he has today.

This interview was conducted and written by Natalie Vidal, C’27.