Based in Philadelphia, Wesley Bogan is employed at Appel Farm Arts and Music Center as studio programs coordinator/after-school programs director/activities and programs director.

Professional Experience
I have been gainfully employed at the non-profit performing arts center, Appel Farm. Being a smaller non-profit body, I am employed in secondary or primary roles in their Arts Education, After School, Camp and Conference departments.

Originally employed only as their Head of Visual Arts for their summer camp program, I was asked to join full-time in 2009 upon receiving my BFA from UArts. Since that time, I have been asked to lead their Arts After School program for local youths in grades K-5 (which involves setting the curriculum, hiring staff, and maintaining supplies and finances), assistant directing all on-sight arts education courses for adults and children, acting as the Conference Coordinator for all groups who visit and rent our facilities for retreats and meetings, and assuming a secondary Director's position for their summer camp program.

University and Alumni Association Involvement
I have been happily involved as one of several representatives who are part of UArts "Ask our Alumni" page where I am happy to answer questions from prospective students as well as current students.

Volunteer/Leadership Roles
I am a full, weekly volunteer for the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Philadelphia and am a current "Big" for a "Small" in southwest Philadelphia. I am also a proud member of the Philadelphia Cartoonist Society which itself is made up of several UArts alumni and staff.

Personal Accomplishments
Perhaps my finest accomplishment would be that I am a younger member of the University of the Arts family that still remains in Philadelphia, is gainfully employed in the arts, and still has strong ties with his graduating class.

Letter of Interest
I am exceedingly interested in becoming a member of the University Alumni Council. The Council itself is an excellent resource for prospective, current and graduating students whether they are seeking information about registration, wisdom on how to handle their workload, or valuable insight on what to expect upon graduation. But being able to continue to reach out to students and adults once they have left UArts is something that I am incredibly interested in.

I personally feel that UArts did a wonderful job in helping to hone my artistic passions and appreciations, but I would like to have had more insight regarding life post-graduation. The realities of life outside of school, student loan payments and re-working your ideas of what it means to be an "artist" or a "working artist" once you have left the halls of your academy is something I feel I hear quite often from my social network of graduating friends and peers. Being a younger member of the Council (potentially), I feel that I could bring a viewpoint and mindset that would still resonate with younger students. I too am dealing with worries over student loans, splitting time between my career and my artistic passions, and finding ways to remain connected to the local artistic scene. I also feel I have stronger social ties with graduating students via Facebook and other social networks than the current Council (although that is merely a speculation on my part. Apologies).

And while my continued hammering home of the idea of "I'm youngish too" may seem redundant in this letter, I think that it would be a valuable asset to the Council. Thank you very much for this opportunity to apply.