From the beginning of my undergraduate studies, I knew I wanted a creative career. I remember sitting in my dorm room at the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign, researching possibilities and realizing I wanted more than curating, freelancing, or artist residencies. As a studio art student, most of my coursework centered on developing ideas independently, often working alone or with just one professor. I appreciated the freedom, but I craved collaboration. I wanted a path where I could create for a living while partnering with people across different disciplines, helping them tell their stories in visual and meaningful ways.
By sophomore year, I decided I wanted to become a creative director. I fell in love with the idea of storytelling, leading projects, and shaping experiences from concept to outcome. I committed to that path even when people around me didn’t fully understand it.
“What do creative directors actually do?”
“Is that even a real job?”
That curiosity, and sometimes skepticism, pushed me to explore further. It eventually led me to the Bolz Center in the Wisconsin School of Business. While I have technical skills in the arts, I also knew I needed to learn to lead, collaborate, communicate, and understand the language of business. This year is about absorbing, asking questions, building relationships, and growing into someone who can bring creative visions to life.
Before starting my first semester at UW-Madison, I was fortunate to secure an Applied Learning Placement with the Chazen Museum of Art. As a Public Programming Intern, I’ve been learning how to engage students, conduct strategic outreach across Madison, and support museum event coordination. I’m grateful to be gaining skills in structuring events, brainstorming outreach strategies, and connecting with different communities in ways that align with the Chazen’s mission.
Now that I am nearing the end of my first semester in the Bolz Center, I’ve grown to appreciate one of the most essential truths every creative should know: a creative career is rarely linear or predictable. It often requires stepping into the unknown, again and again. People sometimes say artists just learn to color inside the lines, but the truth is, we spend our lives figuring out how to exist outside those lines while still building something real, grounded, and impactful.
That’s why I’m here in the Bolz Center this year, surrounded by a collaborative community that supports my path. Over the next few months, I hope to continue refining my portfolio, learning from creative professionals, and growing into the creative leader I’ve always envisioned for myself.