It is often lamented by students and staff alike that Quinnipiac’s campus has a problem. Students choose not to engage in activities, which creates a negative feedback loop of decreasing funding and decreasing satisfaction with life on campus. It doesn’t have to be this way: as a University and as a community, we can choose to be proactive rather than reactive. If we want to support a healthy campus culture, the first place to start is in the arts.
When someone sees or hears the word “art”, they may think first of visual art. In fact, our first experience of something being called “art” is often the finger painting or coloring book drawings we make as young children. From there, our education broadens our horizons and we learn about oil paintings and sculptures and all of the different forms and medias of art. However, something inside of us still internalizes those first experiences with crayons, markers, and colored pencils. There’s a reason why the most successful events across student organizations tend to be coloring nights. There’s something about sitting down with a page out of a coloring book and carefully coloring inside the lines to recreate a recognizable image that speaks to our inner child – that gives us the break from all of our worldly stresses that we yearn for. Beneath all of the exams and papers and projects of college, a little part of us is still that kid, with limitless imagination and endless worlds to create.
We have the opportunity to use these insights to expand the footprint of the arts at this school. If something as simple as coloring, which takes very little financial investment, can make such a profound impact on engagement, what can happen if we invest in strengthening other areas in the arts? I find that every time a group of student leaders sit down and talk with staff and administrators, the topic most often discussed is our campus culture. While no one can magically wave a wand and create a perfect culture, it is important for us to think about what our individual versions of a perfect culture look like. While there will undoubtedly be much variation, common themes might include respect for different backgrounds and beliefs, a strong sense of community pride, and a place where everyone feels comfortable with and valued by those around them. The key to creating those things is art. When we create art together, we share our vulnerabilities and experiences in our art. Through such diverse mediums as drawing, sculpting, writing, singing, dancing, or acting, we create a little piece of ourselves to share with others, and it greatly influences how we choose to interact with each other. If art can leave the negative feedback loop, it can create a positive feedback loop. If we fund infrastructure and programming to support the arts, the arts will in turn support us.
This is why it is so exciting to see the Quinnipiac University administration giving attention to the arts and our community of artists. Both myself and SAL President Sean Formantes have met with CXO Tom Ellett and Provost Debra Liebowitz, and have been encouraged by the support we have received. The new multi-use student spaces in the South Quad are the future of the arts at Quinnipiac, and the potential for a great culture is there – as long as we keep up the pressure and the passion. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and we need your support to get there. If you show up to arts events, register for arts classes, and take part in important cultural discussions, you are the change and you are the future.
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