After Muhlenberg
Art Department graduates are well-prepared for work or further study in art and other creative fields.
Our alums have a strong foundation upon which to build any professional career, whether they are accepted into M.F.A. programs, attend graduate school for art history or pursue jobs in education, design, teaching, museums and even medicine.
Abby Schwartz ‘03
"At Muhlenberg I was a double major in Studio Art and Psychology.
In the Fall of 2003, I began the Master of Gerontological Studies program at Miami University of Ohio.
After the 2-year master's program, I secured a research position at the Center for Applied Research on Aging and Health (CARAH) at Thomas Jefferson University. After three years at CARAH and confirming my passion for gerontological research, I decided to apply to PhD programs in Social Work. I am currently a fourth-year doctoral student in social work at Boston College and anticipate graduating in May 2013.
When thinking about my academic experiences at Muhlenberg in both Studio Art and Psychology, my training in psychology is fairly obvious in how it prepared me to pursue two research degrees. Less obvious is the value in my experience as an art major, and it's impact on my pursuit of higher education and a career in academia.
In a conversation with a prospective doctoral student at Boston College, I was asked why I liked research so much. It was at that moment that I realized the integral role that my art education has played over the past 8 years. Research is a form of art. It requires creativity and drive to create a project from nothing, a project that is a direct reflection of something from the recesses of your mind. My training in art at Muhlenberg fostered my ability to be creative and think critically, two tools that are essential in conducting research. As an art major, I also learned how to articulate the meaning of my work to others, another tool I have used in talking with colleagues about my research projects."
Lauren DeFilippo '06 graduated with a minor in Photography. Her first experiences with a camera and in the darkroom were at Muhlenberg and have shaped her art career as it stands today.
Currently, Lauren is living in Manhattan and is working as a Graphic Designer. Having recently completed the design program at Parsons, The New School for Design, Lauren has been doing branding and identity work for a small studio in Brooklyn and recently accepted a position as a Jr. Designer at a luxury stationery and events company.
Lauren has continued with her interest in photography, taking classes at the International Center for Photography and regularly contributing to her blog.
You can see some of her recent design work on her website.
Kristen Yngve '00 was born and raised in Massachusetts. She learned the power of both words and visuals at Muhlenberg College, where she graduated with honors and received her BA in English and fine arts (with a photography concentration).
While working as a web designer for colleges, she started growing her own freelance design client base, until it grew into a full-time design business.
When not designing, she loves enjoying the outdoors, photographing bugs, playing music and cooking.
Niki Weber ‘07, under the recommendation of Joe Elliott, interned with Mitch Mandel at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA for a semester of photography in book and magazine publications. Within months of moving home after graduating, she reconnected with Rodale, who asked if she could return to Emmaus to help out as a freelance photographer. Four years later, she lives down the street from Muhlenberg in Emmaus and works as an assistant photographer at Rodale Press. She has assisted on the collection of New York Times Best Sellers, "Eat This, Not That" and various magazines, including "Men's Health," "Women's Health," "Organic Gardening," "Bicycling," "Runner's World" and "Prevention." She believes Muhlenberg's art department made her a better photographer and provided her with the foundation to understand what goes into artwork. Recently, she has started Just Nikki Photography as an avenue to push herself creatively and share her work with others.
Amy Appleton '08
"The Muhlenberg College Art Department served as my foundation in visual arts and I graduated with a concentration in painting and knowledge about many different art mediums.
Upon my graduation, I was accepted and immediately enrolled in the MA in Community Arts program at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. There, I received specialized training in urban education, curriculum development, art activism and social justice issues while simultaneously serving a year in AmeriCorps.
I graduated in 2009 and completed my visual and written thesis: 'Impacting Family and Community Development through Inter-generational Art Projects.'
Currently, I’m working at Free Arts NYC, the only NYC non-profit that combines visual arts with youth mentoring. As the Weekly Mentor Program Coordinator, I organize 23 art programs, one of which I am personally instructing, at public schools and social work agencies for children ages 6-13 who have been under-served or abused.
In my free time, I continue to paint and create, and some of my work can be viewed at www.amappleton.com"
Match Zimmerman '06 is a multidisciplinary artist based in Baltimore, MD. He works with a wide range of artistic media including photography, graphic design, printmaking, video, audio and programming. His work has been exhibited in a number of venues and highlighted in a range of publications. In the fall of 2011, Match’s photography was featured in a solo exhibition at Muhlenberg College. His graphic design work has also been selected to be published in the Memories Book, a limited edition publication that was created by Subism (UK) to raise money for the cancer charity Maggie’s.
Professionally, Match has worked as a graphic artist, web-designer and videographer. He currently teaches Digital Media and Photography at Loyola Blakefield in Towson, Maryland. At the conclusion of the Spring 2012 semester, Match will receive a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Loyola University. While attending Loyola University, Match co-authored an essay that was published in the Spring 2011 edition of the Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy. The piece focused on the importance and impact of digital media in the classroom.
His work and contact information can be found on his website.
Brooke Steinhauser ‘04 graduated with a BA in Art History and Theater from Muhlenberg College in 2004. For a year ,she worked as an intern at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery and the Emily Dickinson Museum while applying for graduate programs in material culture and museum studies. She earned a masters in history museum studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program in May of 2011. During her studies, she had the privilege of working in museums in New York, Alaska and the Dutch West Indies.
Brooke is very excited to begin work this fall in Boston with Historic New England, a regional heritage organization that preserves and presents cultural history. She will assume the role of Community Engagement Assistant for the organization's "100 Years, 100 Communities" project; Brooke will be responsible for developing community partnerships across New England to protect and share unique aspects of 20th century life.
Megan Sleeper '03 graduated from Muhlenberg College with a BA in Art History. During that time, she gained a variety of experiences, ranging from the Allentown Art Museum’s Education Department to working with local artists at the Banana Factory in Bethlehem, PA to the West Park Civic Association of Allentown, cataloguing historic buildings for preservation.
After graduation, she went on to attend Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London, where, in 2005, she received a Post Graduate Diploma in Fine and Decorative Arts, specializing in furniture design.
Megan next returned to the United Kingdom to attend Richmond, The International American University, London. Here, she earned a Master’s Degree in the History of Art, focusing her thesis on Victorian Architecture.
Currently, Megan is a second-year postgraduate research student at the University of Bristol working towards a doctorate in the History of Art.
