Semester Reflections

Semester 4

My ePortfolio gave me a great opportunity to improve my formatting, design, and writing skills. This was my first time making a website, so I am tucking these new skills into my metaphorical tool belt. My final product being a collection of moments from the past two years is something I find extremely special and I value it greatly.

Also, with my ePortfolio, I’ve been able to get feedback from the instructional team on my resume. I’ve used it to improve my writing skills that I can use in my professional career, and generally improve my resume. This has been extremely helpful and I am very thankful for that. 

My perception of art has gained lots of depth since being in the Arts Scholars program. I learned an immense amount of information in the supporting course I took which was Art and Society in the West from the Renaissance to the Present (ARTH201). Admittedly,  I never would've taken this class if supporting courses were not required, but it turned out to be one of my favorite classes I have ever taken at the University of Maryland. I had the most knowledgeable professor and the information I learned in this class strengthened my appreciation and knowledge of art in many ways.

Additionally, the opportunity to participate in an African drum circle was an experience that I will never forget. It was an important learning experience for me, and I found it especially meaningful because music is an art form I have always admired but never been quite successful with. The history behind it was fascinating and it overall made for a very fun colloquium. 

My capstone project helped me focus on using research to drive my art. This was a challenge for me because I rarely do this, even with high school AP independent art studies I focused on art based on my own personal experiences and emotions. By doing this I was able to utilize the research techniques that we discussed in our sophomore fall semester. Our constant critiques in CPSA250 kept me on track for my capstone and helped sprout ideas with the help of my classmates. 

Arts Scholars has certainly deepened my creative interests, and one specific interest that immediately comes to mind is the art of drag. I had signed up for a Monet X Change field trip at the Clarice not knowing anything about drag or even what to expect at the performance. Immediately after it was over, I went home to my apartment and turned on RuPaul’s Drag Race. It was something I had never watched, and my roommates and I instantly fell in love with the art form. I gained an immense amount of interest in drag after this field trip and coincidentally, watching RuPaul’s Drag Race every night turned out to be one of the most important bonding opportunities for me and my 5 roommates.

Throughout the Arts Scholars program, I’ve been able to interact with all types of art and collaborate effectively with many different artists. For example, in my CPSA250 course I was able to learn about all my classmates' capstone projects, and help give and receive feedback. One of my classmates had an extremely different capstone project from mine, but I was able to help him brainstorm a clever title for one of his sections. Even though capstones are very personal, I think this emphasizes the importance of collaboration with multiple perspectives.

My Scholars experience will continue informing my future as I was given the opportunity to be an Arts Scholars TA. I am extremely excited as I know this will help me continue strengthening my leadership skills. The research aspect of the capstone process has helped me gain confidence with my research skills which I will carry with me throughout my time at the University of Maryland and further. Additionally, I have made friendships and improved personal skills like time management with the help of Arts Scholars.