Meet the ABC student leaders
Josephine is a junior pursuing a BA in film and a BS in creative technology and design. Their Art Buffs internship was with the Office of Economic Recovery in the Colorado Governor鈥檚 Office.
During their internship, Josephine used their knowledge of graphic design to summarize important data in clear visuals. They also drew from what they've learned pursuing a design technology degree to better organize spreadsheets tracking project funding, edit and format a federal grant proposal and assist with accessibility in the annual financial report.
I've learned that a supportive community makes a huge difference, and that internships are a great way to explore career possibilities. I also discovered just how important creative skills are in fields that aren't traditionally "creative."
Why is creative work an important part of your college experience?
Creative work is both a hobby and a field of study for me, which makes it integral to my college experience. I've connected with new friends over creative work, and I've learned a lot about myself and who I want to be. In various forms, creativity serves as a mental break, as a form of expression and as a challenge.
Travis is a junior studying cinema studies 鈥 production. He completed his summer 2024 Art Buffs Internship with The 麻豆影院 Comedy Show.
During his internship, he filmed and edited weekly shows. These included the Better Help collaboration, a panel show; stand-up shows; and roast battles. Learning to edit comedy was tricky but fun, as he really dug the art of editing to aid the comedy, or to at least get out of its way. It's work that was fun, mistake riddled and worth it.
I've learned how quickly I can still get into 鈥渓earn from the firehose鈥 mode. I've had to really work to learn a lot and turn that knowledge into production quickly. I've learned that overexposure, even in the digital age, can absolutely destroy the usefulness of footage, and I've learned how to put on a live event with a lot of moving parts.
Why is creative work an important part of your college experience?
I came back to school to make a career change, as well as a lifestyle change. A creative life is not one compatible with my prior lives in the military and corporate world. It's the antidote to the latter and it's nice to feel like I'm working on something or toward something where I can be free creatively and in my own production business.
Grace is a junior with a psychology major and a dance minor. She completed her Art Buffs internship with Dance Complex in Cambridge, Massachusetts, whose mission is to 鈥渟ustain artists, audiences and the community through programs that connect movement and ideas鈥 and to 鈥渃elebrate the wonder and curiosity of dance for all.鈥
As part of her internship, Grace created several graphics and flyers for the organization and was able to use creativity in many of her small day to tasks. She also helped plan an upcoming art gallery event. Perhaps best of all, she was able to take free dance classes and gain access to free studio time, an opportunity that helped her grow as a dancer.
I definitely learned some crucial office skills and Excel. I have never worked in an office before, so making a few spreadsheets was a huge learning opportunity for me although it sounds simple. I've learned some crucial event planning and production skills from the event planner, Caitlin, who let me work one-on-one with her to see how she plans events and communicates with involved artists, as well as work in the field with her and help hands-on with an art festival and a performance. I've also been learning how to draft a project proposal and the steps of how to turn ideas into projects.
Why is creative work an important part of your college experience?
My dream job is to be a dance movement therapist, so although I want my main future degree(s) to be in psychology, I need to be able to study dance and have an outlet for creating dance projects. Dance is also a way for me to find community and connect with others in a way that I struggle to do in my other classes as a bit of an introverted person.
Jacob is a junior majoring in studio art with a minor in creative technology design. Jacob completed a summer 2024 internship with The New Local, a 麻豆影院 nonprofit that fosters a working gallery environment, infusing 麻豆影院 County with local, artistic and innovative aspects of design through education and community connectivity, specifically among female artists.
As part of Jacob's internship, Jacob creatively redesigned The New Local鈥檚 website and restructured many user interactions, testing Jacob's abilities by creating an enjoyable and interactive user experience. Jacob programmed a variety of designs, ranging from logos, covers for press articles, page structures and virtual galleries. These experiences not only tested Jacob's technical capabilities as a designer, but were creative challenges as an artist.
To have faith in my abilities as an artist. In a creative profession, it's very easy to undermine my talents and second guess my work. While designing this website, I would often doubt my ideas by imagining problems with my creativity that didn't exist. However, as I continued to work and publish more and more of my site, I gained more confidence in myself and my team. I allowed myself to experiment and test new methodologies and prototypes, which in turn improved the end result of my website and the overall success of our new site's launch.
Why is creative work an important part of your college experience?
Truthfully, my creative work is my passion. As an arts major, I am constantly surrounded by creative minds, new perspectives and a world of talent. There is very little I enjoy more than creating or learning from a creative. That being said, when I am given the opportunity to work in a profession in which I can apply my creativity or collaborate with fellow artists, I thrive.
Daniella is a junior pursuing ethnic studies, creative technology and design and theatre. She worked with the CU Art Museum for her summer 2024 Art Buffs internship.
As part of her internship, Daniella applied her creative self through helping to plan a student council and creating museum artwork labels for two new pieces that will be in an upcoming exhibit. She not only watched, but participated in the curation and exhibition set-up process.
When you love what you鈥檙e doing, it feels less like useless or busy work and instead more exciting! The second thing I鈥檝e learned is that: a general rule of thumb is that people WANT to help and support you, you鈥檙e not as alone as you might think you are, many people are excited to help lead new students! And lastly, number three: that if you鈥檙e interested in a certain field, you should definitely try to get some experience such as an internship, as there are things that I鈥檓 very happy I鈥檝e learned through an internship that with a job in it I鈥檓 much more prepared for what I鈥檇 face in the professional world!
Why is creative work an important part of your college experience?
It鈥檚 who I am. I鈥檝e always been a creative person, staying behind in art class and styling/buying clothes and antiques. It鈥檚 important for me to express and seek that everywhere I go! As a college student, specifically at CU 麻豆影院, I鈥檓 surrounded by so much opportunity that I want to take advantage of it and create with the resources supporting me.
Sadie is a senior majoring in English major on the creative writing track, with minors in sociology and religious studies. Her summer 2024 Art Buffs internship was with The New Local, a 麻豆影院 nonprofit that fosters a working gallery environment, infusing 麻豆影院 County with local, artistic and innovative aspects of design through education and community connectivity, specifically among female artists.
Her main focus area was grant writing. Because the grants on which she worked fund a variety of areas, one of Sadie鈥檚 challenges was presenting The New Local from a new and different angle, which changed with each grant. She used creative thinking to both find the angle and the subject matter that would best convey the story and information the grantor needed. Sadie also was able to immerse herself in the local art community and support it through her grant-writing work.
I learned more about the local art community, what is needed in order to run a non-profit of this scale and what it looks like to research and write grants.
Why is creative work an important part of your college experience?
It differs from other sorts of learning and thinking in the way that there is no right answer. Creative writing allows for approaching interesting thoughts or feelings from different angles and perspectives while also engaging imagination. It is not only fun for me, but also strengthens my ability to think differently and problem solve when faced with other sorts of writing or problems.
Japhia is a senior studying international affairs/data science, French and multicultural leadership studies. Her summer 2024 Art Buffs internship was with the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS), during which she worked in event planning and thinking outside the box.
I have learned how to be versatile, how to find commonalities with those who are different than myself and how to problem solve.
Why is creative work an important part of your college experience?
It has allowed me to express myself and find my community. Art is a connecting force, and it resonates with people regardless of their differences. Creativity has shaped the way I approach different aspects of my life, whether that refers to problem solving or writing.
Collette is a junior majoring in English and education and minoring in anthropology. Her summer 2024 Art Buffs internship was with The Arts Hub in Lafayette, a nonprofit, educational arts center offering dynamic and diverse arts education programming for all ages, and with U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper.
With The Arts Hub, Collette helped to create creative marketing and promotional materials for productions and classes, both in the performing and visual arts. In Hickenlooper鈥檚 office, she came up with creative responses and solutions to constituent concerns over the phone, as well as using her writing and research skills to write publicity and press releases.
Most people just want to feel acknowledged鈥攚hether that means listening to a concerned constituent or taking someone's creative ideas seriously, the best thing you can do for someone is make them feel seen and heard.
Why is creative work an important part of your college experience?
It is what keeps me grounded. It reminds me to stay human in surroundings that often expect us to just be machines. Creative work fosters wisdom as well as intellectual wit.
Gracie is a sophomore majoring in environmental studies who completed her summer 2024 Art Buffs internship with the University of Houston Clear Lake.
Through her internship, Gracie applied her creative abilities to helping teach graphic design and computer coding skills to younger students. In particular, she shared her knowledge of digital art and how technology and creativity can be used together to create art in unexpected ways.
I learned a lot about how to effectively communicate my ideas with others in a professional setting, as well as how to work well with kids in many different environments. I was also able to explore my interests and gain a better understanding of what I may be interested in pursuing post-graduation through practical experience.
Why is creative work an important part of your college experience?
It is how I express and ground myself through my work. But more than that, I feel like creativity is at the heart of most academic pursuits, as human creativity is what fuels new ideas and passion in a way that technology alone cannot replicate. Being creative and sharing my ideas, particularly in relation to new environmental solutions and innovations, is what motivates me to pursue my degree鈥攊n the hope that I will be able to use my creativity to make a difference.
Nevaeh is a sophomore majoring in astrophysics. In summer 2024, she completed an Art Buffs internship with Side by Side, a university-based initiative that, through immersive art-science learning experiences, supports young women's voices in co-authoring transformative, positive narratives to story a new way out of the climate crisis.
Through her internship, Naveah collaborated with professors and other interns to form ideas for unique pieces that mix art and science for two traveling art exhibits. She chose which pieces she wanted to work on and helped create the pieces. Because Side by Side accommodates interns鈥 interests as well as the skills they already possess, Naveah used her interest in sewing to help create an exhibit exploring the relationship between fashion and birds.
When I first came to CU, I was surprised I couldn鈥檛 find any clubs that focused on sewing or fashion. I was given the opportunity to join the Arts Buffs Collective, and after joining ABC, I was given a ton of resources for internships and art competitions based on my interest. I learned is to apply to every opportunity that I have an interest in and that fits my schedule, and that CU has a big art community.
Why is creative work an important part of your college experience?
As I've created my work, my work has in turn helped create my character. Waking up and knowing I'm going to be working on a sewing project gives me such joy. For me, art is a way of expressing myself, as well as reducing academic stress.