We’re really excited to introduce you to this year’s WAM Collective Officers. They are an exciting bunch of people who really care about communities, art, and making a difference.

The WAM Collective meets weekly to talk about museums and plan their programs, which happen often, and includes things like study nights, art-making-opportunities, and networking with creative professionals.

As students and emerging professionals, the WAM Collective Officer program gives the opportunity to learn and create with professional museum staff, artists, advocates, and community members on projects that reflect the concerns, interests, and passions of the student body. Interested in becoming an Officer? Learn more about the program here, and apply in September 2020.

Isabella Gold is a sophomore studying art history in the Honors program with a special passion for the early modern world. She is interested in the role museums have to play in education and hopes to work as a curator someday. You can usually find her working as an assistant in the art history office on West Bank. In her free time, she enjoys listening to opera, learning foreign languages, and playing the violin.

Laura Pilarski is a senior majoring in art history specializing in classical and Near Eastern ancient art. When not looking at old statues, she is bicycling around the Twin Cities, eating chocolate chip cookies, and giving tours as a student guide and education assistant at WAM. She wants everyone to have a fun and welcoming art experience and dreams of becoming the next Lyndel King at a museum near you.

Mollie Kelly is a sophomore studying Special Education and minoring in Art. She wants to someday incorporate art into her teaching lessons, as she believes art is a form of therapy as well as self-expression. Born and raised in Sioux Falls South Dakota, she has always had a longing for the cities. In her free time, you can find Mollie painting, reading, going for a run, or studying at WAM.

Sage Caballero is a Sophomore majoring in Psychology, with a minor in Art History and GWSS. Sage is particularly interested in how all these subjects intersect within museums. They are a photographer and musician with a love for discovering new things.  Sage loves experiencing new things and cultures. In their free time, you can find Sage bowling badly, playing guitar (hopefully not as bad), or hanging out in MCAE. 

Soumi Nandi is a first-year undergraduate student, currently enrolled in Retail Merchandising. She hopes to someday work as an art director in the advertising field. After living in North Carolina for 15 years, she moved to the Milwaukee area before moving to Minneapolis for college. With art as one of her biggest interests, Soumi enjoys painting, drawing, and writing stories in her free time, as well as (of course) spending time in art museums.

Fatima Rahman is a sophomore majoring in computer science and minoring in design. She wants to someday work in app and user interface design and is inspired by the potential both technology and art have to instigate social justice. She’s a big fan of 80s music and horror movies, and in her free time loves playing guitar, editing videos, and exploring the cities.

Joren Roth is a senior majoring in Art History, and minoring in Religious Studies, Norwegian, Anthropology, and Design.  He is interested in how art can teach us about our past, and how art and design can influence our future. When not surrounded by a pile of library books or watching documentaries, he is probably in the kitchen trying out a recipe from the internet, or daydreaming under an oak tree somewhere.

The WAM Collective is students’ behind the scenes access pass to the Weisman Art Museum. Joining the Collective is free and open to all University of Minnesota students. Haven’t joined yet? Do so here >>