Semester Reflections

Semester 3

My experience in Arts Scholars this semester reinforced my belief that art is pivotal to personal and social development through activism, awareness, and exposure to new ideas. Learning about artists like Mark Bradford that promote activism through abstract art emphasized the importance of art in social context, while teaching me about issues that I hadn’t learned about before. I also learned more about the creative process in a practical aspect, while brainstorming and planning for my capstone project. I had been through the theoretical models before, with steps like incubation and illumination that highlight the lesser-seen aspects of brainstorming, but this semester impressed the importance of practical steps. Preparing with research helped me build the core idea of my project in more detail, and sharing with others let me experiment with my ideas more than I would have on my own. Feedback with others was one of the most important aspects of Scholars this semester, and building off of students with different experiences and ideas was pivotal in developing my projects. Effectively incorporating feedback involves consulting peers in multiple stages– brainstorming, planning, and project execution. Peer evaluation in the brainstorming phase was perfect for building diverse ideas, whereas feedback in the planning and execution stages through workshop previews were perfect for trial and error while receiving immediate results.

I was also able to connect with Scholars out of the classroom: during the semester, I went on a day trip to D.C and visited the Hirschorn art museum. One exhibit that struck me was the Basquiat x Banksy combination showcase, and it was a great example of how art can express one’s beliefs and lived experience. Basquiat’s unique style is clearly shaped by his youth in New York City, influenced by subway graffiti and urban design.  It also features themes like racism and classism, emphasizing how important art can be for expressing personal values, even if they are controversial at the time. My Arts Scholars experience helped me understand this, specifically in our study of modern artists who used their mediums comparably.

The foremost course I have taken so far in connection with my Arts Scholars background is ENES100, which allowed me to work with a team to develop a semester-long engineering project. It connected back to scholars by stressing the importance of iterative design and teamwork towards a shared goal. It also required lots of multidisciplinary knowledge, which is one of the most important aspects of art as a whole– it’s incredibly important to be able to use multiple mediums or projects to portray different complex ideas, and learning in a multidisciplinary field is one of the best ways to practice that.

My learning was also greatly supplemented by interacting with fellow Scholars in group activities in class and in my experience living in Bel Air hall. I was able to make great connections within the Scholars community, and it specifically helped when I was brainstorming for my capstone project. I ended up working on a collaborative workshop with my roommate, Ella, who’s also a member of Arts Scholars. It’s helped incredibly with my enjoyment of the project, and it also allowed me to learn how well the two of us work together.

Outside of my capstone, this semester I contributed to my Arts Scholars community by engaging with friends and planning events throughout the months we were on campus. I planned multiple game nights and trips out with friends on my floor, and I felt like it helped us bond as a part of the greater community. Multiple times, I was talking with friends on my floor and others joined us, helping everyone build connections and get to know their neighbors. Living in Bel Air Hall for my sophomore year really helped improve the friendships I made last year, too.

Overall, Arts Scholars allowed me to talk with people outside of my major and main field of study, and it was great getting to know people with a broad variety of interests. I have most of my general education requirements already filled, so scholars colloqium was the only place I met people with such diverse passions. In particular, talking with classmates who are humanities or arts majors exposed me to issues I had never considered before, such as the lack of funding and state of many ARHU buildings on campus. It highlights the value of exploring different perspectives, as I never would have known about these problems and others if it weren’t for Scholar’s diverse student population.