Sara McAuliffe ’17

12 July 2016

Sara McAuliffe Action3

Office: Art and Art History
Position: Photo Lab Assistant, Student Worker for JHNA (Journal of Historians of Netherlandish Art), and general stuff around Boliou.
Major: Art History and Classical Studies

What do you do in your positions?

In the photo lab I do all sorts of things from mixing chemicals in the darkroom to helping students with Photoshop. For JHNA I format and upload articles to be published in the two yearly issues. Also, I run around Boliou in the mornings and help Gerald Krause with general maintenance and upkeep of the art studios.

How did you get your positions?

I started working in the photo lab after I took experimental photography my freshman year. I remember I simply asked the professor, Linda Rossi, if I could pick up some hours, and that was that! I began to work for Gerald Krause during a term where there were no photography classes. Then, after I declared Art History as my major I was recommended to join the JHNA team.

What new skills have you acquired?

I’ve gained countless skills, from mixing darkroom chemicals for photography students, to using the miter saw to cut wood for the sculpture class, or even learning (very slowly) HTML to edit articles about Dutch art, there’s always something new to learn.

How will your student employment experiences help you in your future?

I think it already has helped me quite a bit, I worked for a photography studio last summer, and this summer I will be interning at a museum in San Diego. My jobs have definitely provided me with quite a bit of knowledge on the processes involved in creating art, as well as the processes for writing about art.

What type of person do you feel is best suited for these positions?

For all of my positions, I would say adaptability is a big trait. You have to be willing to take on any kind of task, and you have to be intent on learning how to do it well.

What do you like best about your student employment positions?

The people are definitely a plus. I get to interact with so many wonderful, knowledgeable individuals on a daily basis. Whether it be my supervisors, other students, or international scholars, I always seem to be surrounded by such pleasant and interesting people.  

 

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