We are thrilled to introduce you to this year’s WAM Collective Officers, a dynamic group of University of Minnesota students who care deeply about communities, art, and making a difference.

The WAM Collective meets weekly to discuss the museum field and to plan programming for the campus community which includes activities like study nights, art-making-opportunities, and networking with creative professionals.

As students and emerging professionals, the WAM Collective Officer program is a unique opportunity to engage and collaborate 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 2021.

Isabella Gold is a junior studying art history and museology 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. A poet and violinist, she is intrigued by the intersection of different art forms, especially the roles painting and music played in the historical development of theater. In her free time, she enjoys listening to opera, learning foreign languages, and finding old books in little free libraries. 

Sage Caballero is a junior majoring in psychology, with a minor in art history, and gender, women & sexuality studies. Sage is particularly interested in how all these subjects intersect within museums. They are a photographer and musician and loves experiencing new things and cultures. In their free time, you can find Sage biking through the cities, playing guitar, or chilling in a hammock. 

Lauren Borchart is a junior double majoring in studies in cinema and media culture and journalism, and minoring in art history. She has an affinity for baroque art and loves finding art references in films. In her free time she likes trying new recipes, creating Spotify playlists, editing videos, and finding the best ice cream in Minnesota.

Amie Stager is a fifth-year student majoring in journalism with minors in art and anthropology. As a student and consumer of media and culture, she’s interested in engaging people with stories and ideas on the topics of art, science, and justice. She’s an explorer of hiking trails, bookstores, coffee shops, and of course, museums.

Özge Ahunbay is currently a junior studying journalism and global studies at the University of Minnesota. She likes to paint, work out, cook, and explore nature. She also loves animals and fosters cats. She is interested in learning about new things, and her favorite classes so far have been ceramics and world literature. 

Lauren Armani is a sophomore studying strategic communications with a minor in design. She is new to the museum world and is interested in learning the ways in which art relates to social issues. When not in school or working, she loves to run, bake vegan goods, or make art of her own.