Dakota Arkin Cafourek studied at Ross School from Grade 5–12, graduating in the Class of 2004. Like many of her classmates at the time, as well as Ross students today, Dakota's love for storytelling, film, and media was made a priority on campus. This led her to pursue her BFA in Film and Television from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. How did Dakota go from being a passionate film school graduate to becoming a successful freelancer, board member of a local historic organization, and full-time stay-at-home mom? Keep reading to find out!
Dakota's interest in filmmaking led her on an unconventional journey to where she is today—back home on the East End in East Hampton. Upon completing her undergraduate degree, in the midst of the financial crisis of 2008, Dakota decided to pursue a Master of Arts in Global Communications from the American University of Paris. This pivot in her studies led to a successful career in communications for pharmaceutical and healthcare companies. After obtaining her Master’s degree, she secured an internship at Young and Rubicam's Paris office. Dakota discovered her voice while working in the mental healthcare sector, which included producing videos that advocated on behalf of real patients and telling their stories. She grew increasingly interested in both patient advocacy and corporate social responsibility and wanted to find more ways to focus on this newfound enthusiasm while combining it with her lifelong passion for writing.
Dakota pivoted once more, taking a leap of faith. She gave up her apartment, put all of her belongings in storage, and hit the road. For a year and a half, Dakota traveled across the U.S., dedicating her time to creating and sharing content from her road trip experiences. From her communications background to her new career as a travel and outdoor living blogger, Dakota transferred her skills in storytelling, writing, and editing to content creation and writing for major brands and publications. This allowed her to work with non-profit organizations and volunteer time with the causes closest to her heart.
Dakota out and about in Mom Mode.
This new path also allowed Dakota the time and freedom to focus on her family. As her husband, Andrew, continued pursuing his education and evolved in his career, she became a new mother. Dakota explained that while growing up, she did not have the opportunity to have either of her parents stay at home, so being a stay-at-home mother had always been an aspiration. She acknowledged that there is privilege in the ability to be a stay-at-home parent, but also explained with a laugh, "I’m working harder than I worked when I was working. The hours are different, they’re longer, but it’s so fulfilling, so I feel very grateful for this."
Dakota moved back to East Hampton in 2017 and was excited to find ways to get involved with local non-profit organizations based on the East End. She volunteered for Project Most and helped with their educational development, and she has volunteered with LongHouse Reserve as well. Dakota became an active volunteer for the Amagansett U.S. Life-Saving and Coast Guard Station Museum, and she now serves as Vice President on their Board of Trustees. She is grateful to be involved with the organization because it is such a rich piece of Amagansett maritime history that she and our community can help preserve.
Amagansett Station had been used as a private residence until it was donated back to the Town of East Hampton in 2007, and it has only been operating as a museum for a couple of years. Dakota explained, "Our goal now is to make sure we’re doing all we can to provide education, to improve what we have in the museum, and to grow our collection. We have a handful of fundraising but also educational events throughout the year, which are on our website." As for Dakota's future endeavors, she is happy to continue focusing on work that allows her to spend time on what is most important to her right now—her family. Her plan is to continue working with whichever non-profit and local community organizations she can to assist with their fundraising efforts.
Amagansett U.S. Life-Saving and Coast Guard Station Museum in Amagansett, NY.
Had you told Ross senior Dakota she would be where she is today, she would be surprised at the many twists and turns she's taken in life thus far, but overall, she is grateful and excited for what life has in store. When asked what advice she has for current Ross students and applicants, she said, "Have the flexibility to keep shifting and keep revising your interests. The truth is, for me, when I was 18 and going into film school, maybe I didn’t know exactly that was the path. But I knew I loved that, so it was a good starting point." She also noted that for some, a gap year is an amazing gift that students should use to their advantage. For students trying to decide what they want to study in university, she recommended, "It’s not a crazy idea to maybe go volunteer your time in that space for a year if you can, then go to college."
"School is really important, and what you think you want to study or do may not even exist yet, so it’s important to pursue it in productive ways. If things are interesting to you, throw yourself into those things. Don’t take things just because they make you appear well-rounded; take the things that will drive your passion, and you can become well-rounded in that space. There are more options than you think."
Studying at Ross gave Dakota the fundamentals to work her way through film school and eventually onto grad school. She noted that she had access to newer and higher quality technologies while studying film at Ross than she did when she started film school. With a laugh, she advised, "Always check yourself, don’t expect every place will have pillows and books and statues! Enjoy that and take advantage of it, but always recognize that it is special and it shouldn’t be expected. It’s a special place to learn."
Dakota and her family riding on a float for the Amagansett U.S. Life-Saving and Coast Guard Station Museum on Newtown Lane in East Hampton, NY.
Ross School is eager to see what Dakota does next. We are grateful to have alumni working and giving back to our local communities. You can visit Dakota's website and travel blog here. Keep up-to-date with the Amagansett U.S. Life-Saving and Coast Guard Station Museum here.