UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The College of Arts and Architecture’s Multicultural Programs Office will sponsor Penn State’s first Women of Color in Art and Design Symposium from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 14, in the Palmer Lipcon Auditorium, Palmer Museum of Art. The event will feature a panel discussion with six alumni of the College of Arts and Architecture, who will discuss their career passions and goals, and the struggles of being women of color in their respective fields.
Participants include Lynette Elouise Davis (’10 B.A. Integrative Arts), artist; Brisa Smith Flores (’16 B.A. Art History, History, and Global & International Studies), graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania; Jennifer Massenat (’16 B.F.A. Visual Arts), artist; Melissa Rodriguez (’12 Bachelor of Architecture), associate at Design Collective; Erica Van Rabenswaay (’11 B.A. Integrative Arts), multimedia designer; and Kalilah Wright (’10 B.S. Architecture), CEO of Mess in a Bottle Designs.
“I believe it is important to have this symposium to tell the varied stories of women of color — their successes, challenges, triumphs and defeats,” said symposium organizer Curt Marshall, coordinator of multicultural affairs and recruitment in the College of Arts and Architecture. “We also want to help inspire today’s students in art and design to pursue their dreams.”
The panel will be moderated by Wanda Knight, associate professor of art education and women’s studies. For more information, contact Curt Marshall at cem2@psu.edu.