“Through the courses I have taken at LMU and my experiences outside of the classroom, I have learned to be critical of the canon but also to see the possibilities of arts education for community building and social change.”
With graduation upon us, we spoke to some of CFA’s talented #LMU21 graduates as they gear up to leave LMU and take on the world. In our We Love Our Grads series, we asked a graduating student from each of our departments to reflect on their time here, as well as share their plans for the future.
Becca Simor ’21
Major: Art History
Career Goals: Museum education
How did you decide to become an art history major?
Before transferring to LMU, I had taken a few art history courses. While I enjoyed them, I wasn’t quite ready to commit to art history as a major, so I originally transferred to LMU as a humanities major with a concentration in art history. I thought majoring in something broader would be more beneficial, as I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do after graduation. After taking a few art history classes at LMU, I recognized my passion for it. With advising and encouragement from Dr. Kirsten Noreen, I changed my major to art history in the fall of 2020.
Tell us a little about your time at LMU!
I transferred to LMU in the fall of 2019. I’m a member of Alpha Sigma Nu, Tau Sigma, and the Social Media Chair of the French Club. While studying at LMU, I’ve done two internships that have complimented my art history education. One internship was at Ladies’ Room, an art gallery dedicated to the research and exhibition of women-identifying artists. My other internship involved working with the special events team at Venice Family Clinic. Through this internship, I integrated my passion for art with an organization that provides critical healthcare to the most vulnerable people in our Los Angeles community. I helped the clinic transition their most essential fundraiser, the Venice Art Walk, to an online platform in response to the pandemic.
What are your post-graduation plans and how did you come to that decision?
After graduation, I will be attending the University of San Francisco to earn a master’s degree in Museum Studies. I am looking forward to learning about conservation and preservation, curatorial studies, and how museums can be a vehicle for social change. The past few years have been eye-opening to many of the systemic issues within institutions, and there is a lot of work to be done to ensure that museums are more inclusive and that collections are more accessible. Through the courses I have taken at LMU and my experiences outside of the classroom, I have learned to be critical of the canon but also to see the possibilities of arts education for community building and social change. The support of my professors has been crucial to my preparation for this next chapter, and I could not be more grateful for their guidance, passion, and dedication.
What advice do you have for underclassmen?
Take an art history class! With such an interdisciplinary field as art history, there are opportunities to tailor your research to subjects of personal interest, such as fashion, gender studies, theological studies, politics, etc.
