Accounting, finance, actuarial science, data analytics, economics, marketing, law, politics, management… These are the kinds of majors and minors that rule students’ lives at Bentley University, where everyone is focused on becoming a business expert. Or are they? What about students who have a passion for art, like Elizabeth Ingram, class of ’21? Does Bentley offer adequate opportunites for artistic expression?
“Want to see my art studio?” asks Ingram of students who visit her dorm, pushing open the door to her room to reveal an endless array of paints, markers, pencils, canvases and more. She even designed her own ‘art cart’ to house some of her art supplies, which is on wheels so she can conveniently move the supplies around her dorm. “I’m a self-proclaimed art student,” says Ingram, who is majoring in Media and Culture with a double major in Business Studies and a minor in non-profit organizations.
Some of the ways that she has chosen to be more artistic are joining Alpha Psi Omega, designing playbills and painting sets for productions, getting a job on campus doing production for the arena, and starting her own art business. Additionally, she is constantly designing cards, posters, and name tags for friends and creating custom gifts for birthdays. As a Media and Culture major, she is taking lots of unique classes such as photography, animation, and directing.
When asked about her experience at Bentley, Ingram said, “At first I considered transferring, but then I realized that I could still continue to thrive at Bentley without a traditional business path. Sophomore year I began looking for every possible opportunity to express myself creatively. I think being a ‘self-proclaimed art student’ at Bentley is almost an advantage compared to being at an art school, because at an art school everyone is looking for the same opportunities whereas here it can help me stand out.”
Ingram has her own website where she sells custom art. Check it out here: https://eingramart.wixsite.com/portfolio