"My time at Penn was rewarding because it allowed me to pursue avenues of enquiry that were a bit off the beaten track. Rather than take courses that merely fulfilled some credit distribution requirement, I was usually able to choose classes on subjects that interested me without regard to whether the information would eventually be 'useful.' Consequently, I took a great number of art history courses, but also spent a good deal of time in the folklore and linguistics departments learning about myths and Irish Gaelic grammar." More>

"When I first came to Penn as a PAFA student, I was intimidated. This was an Ivy League school, and as an artist I was not certain how I would fit in. My fears were unfounded. I quickly adapted to the environment. I identified my interests in Penn’s many libraries and museums. I became fascinated by folklore; I took comparative literature and women’s studies courses; I studied French; and then I found myself writing short stories. I decided to minor in English because I had the credits to do so, and because I wanted, in a very concise and official way, to mark such a fruitful passage in my life." More>

"One of the things I valued most highly regarding my study at Penn was the freedom I had to tailor the coursework to suit my real interests. I still think about the wonderful classes I took in the folklore department, the English department, and the philosophy department in particular. These classes shaped and informed the way I considered my artwork and have continued to impact me. The quality of the instruction was tremendous, and I think of my time at Penn as one of the most important chapters of my life." More>

“The Penn BA program has been a rich and full experience for me. Going part time for four years, I have been able to experiment with different areas of study and devote myself completely to my selected classes in any given semester. While I embarked on an academic career that I believed would concentrate fully on art, through my elective choices I picked up a geology minor which is now guiding my future as an artist. Now I have prospects not only as an independent artist, but also as a paleo artist doing scientific illustration. Because I was encouraged and allowed to pursue an eclectic array of classes, I have come out of Penn a well-rounded intellectual with a future that is full of choices and possibilities.”

“After receiving my degree at UPenn I feel that I have an advantage over other graduates in my field. The knowledge of art-making combined with art history provides me with all the tools necessary to excel in Fine Arts.”