Video: Students Find Success in UM’s Art Department

By Gene Crunk
Hottytoddy.com Intern
ehcrunk@go.olemiss.edu

From biology to engineering, the University of Mississippi offers a variety of degree programs that prepare students for success upon graduation, and that is no different for the art department, as well.

Ashton Keene, a senior at the University of Mississippi, is one of many students who are apart of the Art Department’s Ceramics program. The program offers degrees in both the undergraduate and graduate fields.

Will McComb, a third-year master’s student, said the program is successful at preparing students for careers in the field.

“This program sets us up, whether you’re a graduate student or an undergraduate student, to pursue a life in ceramics,” McComb said.

The Ceramics program at Ole Miss is led by professors with national and international recognitions. Andrew McIntyre, a graduate technician, said there’s always room to grow.

“It’s sort of always important that we continue to grow the program,” McIntyre said. “We’re always trying to think of ways to make our program better and bigger.”

After graduating from the Ceramics program, there are several career paths that students can pursue. From education to retail, McComb said students have options.

“Most people that pursue a degree like the one I’m going after, the MFA degree, are looking to get into teaching in some capacity, whether it’s at the collegiate level or potentially at arts high schools or things like that, community centers as well,” McComb said. “And then some people will just go out and practice, they’ll set up a studio somewhere, maybe they teach part time.”

Pursuing an art career isn’t the only way that students are getting involved. The program also has a student run club, the MudDobbers, that works to benefit people in the local community while also giving students real world experience.

“The club not only raises money, but we do a lot of outreach,” said McIntyre. “Sometimes we buy equipment for the MudDobbers, or we use the money in various ways to benefit the students.”

The ceramics program at Ole Miss isn’t your average college degree. However, it definitely reaches further than you might have expected.