The Weekly Briefing gives a small look into the stories The Forum has covered in the past week. This week, we covered art students who are pushing for more exhibit opportunities, religious clubs who say they’re left out of diversity conversations and ASW passing an indigenous land acknowledgement.
Your art major may actually lead to a job
For Adam Tarr, a 2019 graduate from Westminster, art is an important part of his life. After graduating from Westminster with a focus in painting and drawing, Tarr now works on graphic design for multiple companies.
Tarr recommends that students thinking about graduation should start taking the steps to create a smooth transition into the world outside of school. He said this was really helpful in managing his stress levels nearing his graduation date and envisioning what the future would look like.
ASW pushes toward acknowledgement of indigenous lands
ASW Senate passed a bill implementing consensual and tribally-informed indigenous land acknowledgement at Westminster College during its last general meeting Monday.
The bill “ASW Temporary Lands Acknowledgement” shows support for the creation of a campus-wide land acknowledgment. This acknowledgment aims to serve as a sign of respect for indigenous peoples.
Art students say there’s a lack of opportunities to display work
For Westminster College students studying art, the annual student art exhibit serves as one of the only sources on campus to share their work with the public. Some students say it isn’t enough, and believe the school should provide more opportunities.
“There should be more opportunities,” said Naomi Marine. “It’d be really cool if we actually had a dedicated gallery space that could have cycled out shows for students.”
Don’t cut young people short, activists say
Jamie Margolin, Saida Dahir and Karina Popovich are young, female activists. The women told audience members that youth are leading modern political and cultural movements at the Young Women Leading Change: Three Activists Forging a New Future Vision in Gore Auditorium on Tuesday.
“You’re important and you’re valid, but your fear aside,” one of the panelists said. “If they don’t let you come to the table, bring a folding chair.”
Religion is left out of diversity conversations, some students say
Westminster College prides itself on its diversity efforts. But some students say that within those efforts of being more inclusive to all genders, races and sexual orientations, religion is left out of the conversation.
Kehaolani Pati, coordinator of student involvement, leadership and orientation, works with student faith-based clubs. She said sometimes students who are not members of those clubs have biases against those who are, particularly because in Utah the dominant religion – the LDS faith – can make other religions seem out of the norm.
