Jamir Smith
BFA '22
Growing up, my parents had me involved in all of the arts hoping that one would stick. I’m so grateful for it too. It’s how I’ve been able to do things like travel the world with the Philadelphia Boys Choir, audition for Broadway shows and, most recently, dance for the NBA 76ers. My parents have always tried to instill the notions that the sky's the limit, you don’t need to be defined by a singular craft and with versatility comes greater opportunity for understanding the world. Those notions have been my compass throughout life, but I never really knew how they would come into play in college.
I was presented with UArts and its crazy amount of opportunities for overlapping mediums. It was as if the universe was telling me to go for it–and for it I went. When I had to choose a major, I went with the one I was always working on while doing everything else–Animation. However, I continue to take classes that fuel my other interests.
A question I run into a lot is “why animation?”. To me, it’s the ultimate form of expression. It brings all life experiences and imagination to a head. You can literally create anything you want as long as you have the time. It brings amazing opportunities for personal understanding and communicating ideas. I can also use my other interests in conjunction with animation. UArts really helped bring interdisciplinary studies to fruition with its diverse courses and individuals–it has a way of bringing people together.
UArts has been heaven-sent, continuing to shape who I am as a person and an artist with every semester.