Generations - January 2021 | University of the Arts

In this issue

A Letter from Parent Council Member Marian Maier

Happy New Year! I wish you all a year of health, comfort and hope for the return to what we used to call “normal.” Looking ahead to a new year and semester, some uncertainty still lingers. However, as I look back over my daughter’s first year and a half at UArts, I am reassured by what has proven to be unwavering: the support UArts has always provided its students. Whether in the previous environment of in-person collaboration or this new remote world, UArts has always put the social, emotional and academic wellbeing of its students first.

Before COVID, UArts had many social events throughout the year, when students would meet their peers, socialize and become comfortable with college life and the campus. As COVID took over our lives, faculty and staff were challenged to think of ways to keep the students social while distanced. They succeeded by encouraging the students to share their talents through videos. These videos were shown during Virtual UArts Weekend, the holiday video created by the School of Music and #uarts on social media. Whether streamed or posted, these works have enabled the students to practice their crafts, advance their creativity and make essential connections with one another even while remote.

With social and emotional support, UArts has also been outstanding in its academic support of the students. “One of the things that drew our family to UArts was the quality of the School of Design faculty’s one-on-one critiques,” shared Parent Council member Jerry Buckley. “Their attention to compositional detail, probing about intent and giving useful feedback that our student can use immediately as a next step in her artistic development has continued to impress me. She experienced a deep interaction and quality professional feedback at her portfolio review prior to being accepted, and that interpersonal quality is still very strong in the remote learning environment. Kudos to the UArts staff for their talent in this important academic area.”

Thank you, UArts, for all you have done and continue to do in developing the whole student academically, emotionally and socially. May 2021 be a year of inspiration and success!

Sincerely,
Marian Maier

Getting Involved

Campus Life has created a number of ways for students to get involved and stay connected to the UArts community. Included here are all the ways that students can get engaged this semester.

Our various activities are designed to appeal to a wide range of interests. We have activities designed specifically for students who are graduating this year and those who are interested in social justice, leadership, exploring the world of virtual reality or film and even astrology.

Students can get involved in activities that help them connect with each other either synchronously or asynchronously, so that anyone, no matter their schedule, can get involved.

Encourage your students to find something that interests them and to reach out to Campus Life if they want help finding the right fit. Though we encourage students to sign up by the first week of classes, most of our activities are open to students to join at any time.

Students can find information about meeting times and activities by downloading the UArts app and exploring the Campus Activities calendar or by following Campus Life on Instagram at @UArts_CampusLife. They can also find more information about each of these programs online.

Spring 2021 Opportunities

Astro Academy: For students interested in all things astrology, this eight-week program takes a deep dive to explore all things related to astrology.
Clubs and Organizations: For students who want to get to know others with similar interests, we have almost 30 student run clubs and organizations. Clubs often host meetings and events throughout the semester, and they’ll all hold interest meetings the second week of classes. More information about UArts’ clubs and organizations is available on our website.
Community Channels: These groups provide students with shared identities or common interests spaces that bring them together and create support systems. These groups meet weekly but will also provide students with opportunities to join group chats. For a list of all community channels, check out our website.
Curated Conversations: The Art of Running a Gallery: The University Galleries team members and guests meet each week to investigate different aspects of what it takes to run an exhibition space. This program invites students to explore a variety of topics and meet artists and curators.
Cyber Studio: For students interested in delving into the world of virtual reality (VR), they can join an eight-week program run by the Center for Immersive Media (CIM). Weekly sessions will consist of demonstration and participation in VR chat rooms and multiplayer VR applications, with discussions about approaches to making and designing in a virtual studio.
Emerging Leaders: This eight-week program is designed for students who are interested in learning about themselves and their strengths as leaders. It also includes collaboration methods. Full of discussion and group activities, Emerging Leaders has been running for more than eight years and is one of our most popular activities.
Game Nights: Campus Life will host weekly game nights, to which students can drop in, play some games and get to know one another.
Kickin’ It with Campus Life: This podcast will be released in the first few weeks of the spring semester. It will highlight and explore various topics related to being a student-artist. Our student podcast host will interview students and special guests for each episode. It’s a great way for students to stay connected on their own time.
Life After College: Targeted to our students who are graduating this year, this group meets monthly to discuss things they’ll need to know to help them prepare for life after college. They’ll discuss budgeting and paying loans, interviewing and searching for employment, and creative practices.
Pen Pals: For students who want to get to know someone new, they can sign up to be matched with a pen pal or a pen pal group! They can also choose to correspond in a method that works for them, like snail mail, email, video chat, text messaging or weekly group check-ins.
Social Justice Leadership: For students interested in pursuing social justice, this eight-week program is designed to empower them to engage in socially conscious leadership as a means to promote equity and achieve justice. This weekly program engages members through group discussions and activities.
Subversive Cinema: This eight-week program led by Lightbox Film Center will explore the many dimensions of experimental cinema and its impact on art and culture.
This Just In!: Where Pop Culture and Social Justice Collide: This weekly program will meet to analyze the latest in pop culture and discuss the power it has to influence social change.
UArtistries: The UArtistries series is an Instagram video series taught by students that gives tutorials on how to do all kinds of things, from cooking to taking care of houseplants to brushing up on photo editing skills. It is a great way for students to interact with each other on social media and learn something new!