Sarah Schauber, a history and Peace, War, and Defense double major.
Photo courtesy of Katie Moninghoff
Wells Fargo released an ad recently captioned “A ballerina yesterday. An engineer today,” and “An actor yesterday. A botanist today.” This message did not resonate with a lot of students who find their livelihood in the arts, so Kate Jones, a junior dramatic art and communications performance studies major, decided to do something about it.
She and her friends stood by the Wells Fargo branch on campus with a poster board frame in the shape of a stage, captioned #STUDENTSFORTHEARTS, and took pictures of students in support of the arts.
Senior writer Paige Connelly asked these students, “Why does art matter?”
Sarah Schauber
History and Peace, War, and Defense double major
Senior
“I’ve been in band for like 10 years at this point, I really value what band has given me, and I know that lots of other people that are in theatre or dance are also really appreciate that, and it’s a crucial, critical part of who you are, and it’s so much more than just I can do math or science.”
Tarik Woods
English and Public Policy double major
First-year
“I grew up and had to teach myself to play four instruments, so education about the arts always seems to — makes you more in touch with, especially, your current generation. It’s a great way for people to kind of understand and be empathetic to other people. All the arts, from visual arts, to musical arts, to performing art, are all great ways to get more in touch with others around you.”
Amy Vaughn
Environmental Science major
First-year
“I think it’s important to have a creative outlet, and a lot of times, watching other people perform arts or continue that in a professional way helps other people find their own creative space, which is important.”
Lucy Nelson
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“I think it’s just good. The arts is kind of a place where you can go away from academia and like this really competitive, judgement place — not a judgement place, but you’re worried about how you’re performing — and I think the arts is somewhere where you can just really be yourself.”
Devin Cornacchio
Music (Performing) and Mathematical Decision Sciences double major
Sophomore
“I’m here to advocate for my love, my passion, for the arts, which has had a really big influence on my life and is a medium through which I convey my emotions, where words cannot — if that’s not cliche.”
Savannah Samuel
Nursing major
Junior
“For me, it’s my outlet. I need a place where I can be myself, and be creative and expressive. I love what I do with nursing, but it can be a lot. It’s a lot emotionally, it’s a lot physically. And when I go to rehearsal at night, it’s the most fun thing, and all my friends are there and I have never found a group of people more open than artists, especially my theater people, like everybody’s a little bit strange and a little bit weird but they’re the most open.”
“When I saw this, I was like, 'That’s not okay,' because that’s such an important part of life, and to discourage people from doing it and discouraging people from pursuing it, you know how bland our world would be? It would be awful.”
