Jo Snyder '19
Program Coordinator, Wexner Center for the Arts
What kinds of things do you do in your current position? Are there projects or initiatives you are working on and excited about?
As programs coordinator for the Department of Learning & Public Practice, I support and collaborate with each of the programmers and administrators in the department. It’s a great role for someone just starting out (like me!) because I’m able to see programs develop from beginning to end, help execute those programs and experiment with ideas of my own alongside my brilliant colleagues. Currently, my favorite aspect of the job is the opportunity to work with interns. I’m part of a working group that develops and administrates programming for our Wex interns, including professional development sessions, gallery walkthroughs and behind-the-scenes looks at the work of a contemporary arts institution. It’s a rewarding project, as it offers perspectives and exposure that might otherwise never cross our interns’ paths.
Are there particular things from your time as an undergraduate in the Department of History of Art that you think are helping you succeed in your job?
In addition to the invaluable technical skills (writing, critical thinking, visual analysis, etc.), my time in the Department of History of Art also taught me that art is a tool that can be used in many ways. The Department of Learning & Public Practice is, at its heart, a service-oriented project that ultimately seeks to be useful to the publics we serve. We use art to foster curiosity, inquiry and care — no matter the subject of the exhibition, film, performance, workshop or studio. These values drive the work we do. History of art taught me that art is not a mystical set of practices and objects reserved for the elite, but a means of communication that is about and of its time and place. This perspective means that our options are vast and the possibilities are up to us, the viewers and lovers of contemporary art.
Charlie Gbur '14
Global Education Manager, Ohio State Arts and Sciences Global Education
What kinds of things do you do in your current position? Are there projects or initiatives you are working on and excited about?
In my current position, I work with different faculty and departments in the College of Arts and Sciences to create new education abroad opportunities for students at Ohio State around the globe. I oversee our existing suite of programs and assist with student recruitment. I also work with departments to establish international agreements with other institutions that help them further academic research and collaborative projects. One of my favorite aspects of my job is subsidizing programs and identifying sources of funding that help make Arts and Sciences’ programs more affordable and accessible for our students. I am particularly excited about a scholarship we are hoping to offer to incoming freshmen as a part of the Keith and Linda International Experiences Scholarship.
Are there particular things from your time as an undergraduate in History of Art that you think are helping you succeed in your job?
History of Art is a major that encourages you to think in new ways and consider a subject from multiple perspectives. This mindset has been incredibly helpful when making connections and working with partners around the globe. Engaging in open dialogue with people of different backgrounds not only helps you accomplish goals faster, but build richer and more rewarding relationships. I also gained firsthand experience as an education abroad participant in an art history study abroad program in Paris. My time abroad was a life-changing experience that helped me step outside my comfort zone and begin learning how to communicate across cultural and linguistic barriers, as well as prepare me for the work I
am doing today.