Semester Reflections

Semester 3

This semester, I moved out of Bel Air Hall, the building that houses art scholars. However, I wouldn’t have met my current roommate, Jules, if it weren’t for the living-learning aspect of this program.  Jules was an Art Scholar in my first year, and she lived just down the hall from me. When she left the program for personal reasons, we vowed to stay friends and eventually became roommates. 

One aspect of the Art Scholars program that I’ve reflected on is the fall colloquium, which is heavily theory-based. At times, I felt the program lacked opportunities for creating extended art projects, which left me yearning for more hands-on creative work. I understand, though, that it’s difficult to accommodate such diverse artistic interests and that it’s equally important to focus on the theory behind art. Living with Jules has helped bridge this gap. We often draw together and work on our latest projects, and I’m grateful for this creative connection that blossomed from being in Arts Scholars.

Additionally, I’ve found that many Arts Scholars practice Christianity and are open about sharing their faith. Conversations about faith in a school setting  are not something I’m particularly familiar with, so these conversations were enlightening. They helped me understand what gives others’ lives meaning and purpose. I came to appreciate the sense of security and strength my peers draw from their faith, which broadened my understanding of the diverse ways people find meaning in their lives.

I’ve continued to make flyers advertising the events of the Arts Advisory Board, a student-led group within Arts Scholars. Designing these flyers has been a rewarding way to contribute to the program, and I enjoy the small moment of pride when I can quietly mention to someone that I helped create one. That said, I do wish there were opportunities for a large event where upperclassmen could meet the new Art Scholars. I’ve heard from peer mentors about how exciting it is to connect with the incoming students, and I sometimes wish there was a way for everyone—first-years and second-years alike—to come together as one big community.

One of the most interesting intellectual connections that I experienced is between my Social Psychology course and Art Scholars. In social psychology, we explored concepts like group dynamics, the impact of culture on behavior, and how people interpret the actions of others. These topics align closely with discussions in Arts Scholars about how various forms of art communicate emotion and drive social change.

For example, in social psychology I learned that American and western culture often emphasize individualism, while many other cultures prioritize community. This concept reminded me of how art can reflect these cultural values—some works focusing on personal transformation and others on collective change. When Kristen Arant, a specialist in West African drumming, visited our Arts Scholars colloquium, she shared how drumming is used to inspire social change. The communal nature of West African drumming—where different participants play complementary roles through drumming, dance, and rhythm—embodies the cultural importance of community. This synergy between social psychology and Arts Scholars helped me understand how cultural values are not only reflected in art but also actively reinforced or challenged through artistic practices.

One news-related art piece that stood out to me this semester was an experimental dance performance titled Cradle to Grave choreographed by C. Macko and hosted by the UMD School of Theatre Dance and Performance Studies. The dance depicted the urgency of the climate change crisis and the need for immediate action through a futuristic satirical lecture and three original dance pieces. My experience in the Art Scholars program, particularly making my own interactive experimental-style story through the spring workshops, gave me a deeper appreciation for the intricate elements involved in crafting such a performance. I found the decision to begin the performance with a college-style lecture set 100 years in the future to be particularly clever, especially given the audience was largely composed of college students accustomed to attending lectures.

I also noticed the thoughtful references to current views on society and previous climate crisis movements woven throughout the performance. Drawing from my own experience  researching for my Art Scholars capstone project, I could fully appreciate the time and effort that went into researching and integrating these critical issues into the work. This background knowledge enhanced my understanding of how art can serve as both a reflection of societal concerns and a call to action, making Cradle to Grave a truly impactful piece.

This semester's Art Scholars colloquium and related activities encouraged me to critically engage with the way art interacts with personal growth and creativity. Watching my peers capstone proposals on the final day of colloquium was particularly eye opening. Many of my peers shaped their capstone around subjects deeply meaningful to them, such as the Free the Nipple movement and the importance of sustainable agriculture in Africa. These presentations introduced me to issues I hadn’t previously given much thought to, demonstrating how art can not only express personal beliefs but also bring new topics of social change into focus. The effort and thought my peers poured into their work showed me how art has the power to spark curiosity, challenge biases, and inspire a deeper understanding of subjects outside our everyday awareness.

Throughout this semester, I explored ways to initiate the creative process. During colloquium, we brainstormed ideas for our capstone through peer discussion, reading articles on current issues, and charting what matters most to us. When I began developing my capstone project, the brainstorming process left me excited about several different ideas, but I faced the challenge of narrowing them down to just one. Ultimately, I chose the idea that felt most meaningful to me at the moment, reminding myself that selecting one project now doesn’t limit my ability to explore other interests and create art on those topics in the future. This approach helped me feel more confident in my decision and inspired me to bring my vision to life.

Feedback has been invaluable in helping me refine and develop the foundation of my capstone project. When I encountered roadblocks in my research, I often sought advice from my TA, Chioma, who provided practical guidance and helped me figure out my next steps. Harold, the director of the Arts Scholars program, offered insightful revisions to my annotated bibliography, encouraging me to delve deeper into the artistic influences within my research. Additionally, our graduate TA, Irene, shared creative strategies for storytelling, which inspired me to use zines as a medium to explore the liminality of addiction and neurodiversity.

Zines have since become a central element of my project, and I’m grateful for the collaborative feedback that guided me toward this format. Each piece of advice I received—from research direction to artistic presentation—helped me refine my ideas with greater depth and clarity, demonstrating the transformative power of incorporating constructive feedback.