Opportunities for current art students
The experiences you'll gain as an art student at Washburn don't stop in the classroom. You will have opportunities to volunteer, have internships, explore art on campus and in the community, travel, exhibit your work, and join student organizations just for Washburn art students. Financial assistance is often available to assist with some expenses.
Internships:
Students have the opportunity to receive university credit for a variety of career work experiences. Students learn through working with museums, galleries, professional artists, graphic designers and community art organizations.
Exhibits:
- Annual juried student show, open to all art students, juried by an outside judge with credentials in art area. Exhibition in regional professional museum.
- BFA Senior Exhibition, required for all BFA majors. This provides a capstone experience for students to showcase their artistic accomplishments. Each student plans, publicizes and hangs his/her own show. The exhibits are held in the Art Department gallery or other sites both on and off campus.
- Washburn Art Faculty Show
Travel:
- Art Department sponsored trip every semester to regional art museums, galleries and exhibitions
- Art Department Study Abroad courses for WU credit with scholarship and financial support available
- Semester or summer study abroad opportunities available through Washburn University
- WTE and Art Department funding is available to help with travel expenses for eligible students.
Mulvane Art Museum:
Located on the Washburn University campus, the Mulvane Art Museum is a resource for students, faculty and classes to view ever-changing exhibits or look at work in the collection. Art Education majors may participate in the children's art programming through the museum.
Outreach
Art students have various opportunities for outreach beyond the academic community.
- Catron Professorship
- Aaron Douglas Art Fair
- Mulvane Art Fair
- NOTO North Topeka Arts District activities
- Art Lab at the Mulvane Art Museum
- Topeka Great Wall Mural
- Topeka Utility Box Project
- Topeka Shawnee County Public Library, Sabatini Gallery
Student Organizations
Washburn students have the opportunity to join two student organizations in the art department: WASA - Washburn Art Students Association and WATUP! - Washburn Art Team of United Potters. WASA brings together students with interests in all areas of studio art while WATUP! is geared specifically to ceramics students.
WASA works to further the interests of art students, their education and future careers. Students have the opportunity to interact with faculty in a setting other than the classroom and they seek to involve art students in the community and to give to the community through worthwhile community service. Anyone interested in art may join the group.
- Sponsorship for Conferences/Trips
- Senior Show Grants
- Funding for Field Trips
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Guest Artists Workshops and Demonstrations
- Group Exhibition Opportunities
- Opportunities to Sell Your Work
- Student Work Trading Party
- Fund Raising Events
No membership fees, monthly meetings with free lunch
Art student camaraderie and lots of fun!
WATUP! is a student organization consisting of ceramic enthusiasts from a variety of backgrounds. Our purpose is to communicate the potentials and importance of ceramics to other students and community members. We also provide funding opportunities for serious WATUP! members to attend conferences, workshops, and demonstrations.
- Volunteer opportunities
- Funding for conferences
- Opportunities to sell your work
- Group participation in campus wide activities such as Homecoming
- Introduce others to ceramics through "Throwing Nights"
Donald B. and Twila Catron Sr. Professorship of Art:
The Donald B. and Twila Catron Sr. Professorship of Art was established in 2002 by the Jim and Norene Ketcherside family in memory of Norene's parents, to provide expanded teaching content in the Art Department and outreach art activities for the Mulvane Art Museum. Through the past 10 years, the Catron Professors have each defined and shaped the position in unique ways.
Catron professors:
- Carey McDougall - 2002-03
- Marguerite Perret - 2003-2005
- Elizabeth Knabe Roe - 2005-2008
- Stephanie Lanter - 2008-2011
- Jennifer Marsh - 2011-2014
- Marin Abell - 2014-2017
- Benjamin Wills - 2017-
The Catron Profesor is a one-year position, renewable to 3 years, in which the professor teaches courses in the Art Department related to a specialty area in the arts as well as develops creative educational programs serving communities throughout Kansas. The Catron Professorship has been immensely valuable to the Art Department by bringing in new ideas and fresh perspectives about the art world to our campus, as well as taking Washburn Art connections to the larger community.
GET IN TOUCH WITH Art Department
Art Department
Washburn University
1700 SW College Ave.
Topeka, KS 66621
Phone & Email
Phone: 785.670.1125
Office Hours:
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday
art@washburn.edu
