Meet the 2022–23 Wex interns

Melanie Heidotting: I'm a senior studying Arts Management. This year I'll be working with the Development department!

Bethani Blake: Hi! I am a curatorial intern in the Exhibitions department.

Marcy Paredes: I’m a Moving Image Production major, and working with the Design team in the Marketing and Communications department.

Hannah Fitzgerald: CCAD Fine Arts (sculpture), working with Learning & Public Practice.

Kara Philoon: I am double majoring in Dance and Arts Management, and interning with the Learning & Public Practice department.

Sophia Mae Ahn Buskirk: My major is Neuroscience with minors in Political Science and Critical & Cultural Theory. I’m working in the Art & Resilience Department.

Cole Graham: I'm one of the two curatorial interns (along with Bethani) working with Lucy [Zimmerman] and Danny [Marcus, in Exhibitions]. I'm also a PhD student in the History of Art Department.

Lilyana Bryan: My major is Visual Communication Design. I’m working with the designers in Marketing and Communications.

Olivia Hickman: I am a fourth year marketing student at OSU. I am the fundraising intern for the Development Department.

Melanie: I applied to work with the Wex because I love the work they do, and I wanted to be a part of it in any way I could!

Bethani: I applied to work at the Wex because I wanted an opportunity to gain professional experience on an Exhibitions team. After separate conversations with [Whitney] Museum Director Adam Weinberg and [Savannah College of Art & Design] Chief Curator Ben Tollefson, I realized I should focus on applying for internships as they are a great way to build experience, form connections with other art professionals, and create momentum.

Marcy: I’ve always seen the Wex’s work around campus and ever since I saw the HERE exhibition with Jenny Holzer and Maya Lin, I have wanted to contribute to the work the Wex does!

Hannah: To learn how community and the arts intertwine to produce productive conversations and passion.

Kara: I applied to work with the Wex because I had been visiting the center since freshman year and have loved all the programs I have been able to attend. I wanted to get a look inside the workings of an arts museum and be able to learn from the amazing staff.

Sophia: I'm interested in art therapy as a tool for individual and collective well-being. The fluidity of the arts and the malleability of resiliency creates a complex intersection for impactful community building.  

Cole: I've previously studied at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania as well as the City University of New York, and I also have done work as an intern in the New York auction world. My area of interest lies at the intersection of trans and disability theory, and I'm especially invested in the treatment of the body in Viennese figurative painting of early 20th century, as well as the ways in which modernistic tendencies have traditionally limited possibilities for disabled mind-bodies. All of these interests come together to support the journey that has brought me to the Wex.

Lilyana: I come from a fine arts background, so my interest in graphic design stems from that. Through working with the Wex, I’m able to grow as a designer while experiencing the arts community in Columbus. I’m also very interested in print and the processes behind it, which the Wex does a lot of. One of my design classes toured the Wex’s design department last semester and I remember thinking: man, I really wanna learn how to do all this. I was hooked after that!

Olivia: The Wex is such a respected and important institution for the arts. But more personally, it has also been integral to my own college experience. Through visiting the Wex, I have felt myself become more connected to OSU and develop a greater understanding of the arts. I applied because I wanted to be a part of that impact and learn how to channel my passion for the arts and nonprofit work.

Melanie: This is my first internship, so I hope to learn a lot about working at an arts organization, like the Wex. Since I'm minoring in nonprofit management, I am also excited to learn more about development and donor relations.

Bethani: If there is one thing I hope to take away from this experience, it is the ability to refine my understanding of professional resilience.

Marcy: I love print design, but had very little experience in it when I first started here. During my time at the Wex I hope to grow into a more knowledgeable and confident designer!

Hannah: I hope to instill passion in Columbus through the Wex and am looking forward to year two with the Wexner Center.

Kara: Throughout my internship at the Wex, I hope to take in as much knowledge, experience, and advice as I can! I feel so honored to be able to work for an institution that values the Learning & Public Practice department and I hope to gain a better understanding of how these programs and events come to be.

Sophia: I feel eternally grateful and energized by my work with Art & Resilience. Both in my personal life and future professional endeavors I hope to center my activism and community engagement efforts in the arts. With [Art & Resilience Director] Tracie McCambridge's support and the encouragement of the emerging student org community, I am gaining a better understanding of the intentions and impacts of therapeutic gallery programming.

Cole: As a first-generation college student, I am also always envisioning ways of expanding art access to socioeconomic groups usually barred from entry into this world.

Lilyana: You know when you look back on yourself from middle school and cringe because of how much you’ve grown since then? I kind of hope I can feel that way by the end of this experience. It’s one of my favorite feelings—being able to see how much you’ve grown. Maybe poke fun at the old you’s silly mistakes, opinions, etc. I hope I’ll have learned so much that I can feel that way as a designer!

Olivia: I hope to gain a better understanding of how to manage the arts behind the scenes. Specifically, I’m interested in learning about how the Wex achieves fundraising goals and maintains donor relationships. But most importantly, I'm excited for the opportunity to connect with others who are passionate about the arts!

Melanie: I am currently rewatching the show Derry Girls. It's one of funniest shows I've ever watched and never fails to put me in a better mood!

Bethani: I read The Secret History by Donna Tartt for the first time a few weeks ago, which has since informed my music choices! My Spotify has now morphed into a moody soft pop-rock genre which is a vast change from my comfort band (Sum 41).

Marcy: I’m currently watching The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings movies for the first time! I love fantasy and my friends have loved seeing my first-time reactions to the movies. (:

Hannah: The singer Blood Orange—the lyrics are incredible! 

Kara: Recently I’ve really been enjoying listening to Noah Kahan!  

Sophia: I'm currently reading Osamu Dazai's No Longer Human. Osamu Dazai is one of Japan's most important writers. This semi-autobiographical work highlights the alienation of the individual in society. It echoes the sentiments of youth in post-war Japan to the postmodern society of technology. 

Cole: For the past several years, I've been really into the photographer Laurence Philomene, a New York-based non-binary artist whose lush photography encapsulates and illuminates for me what it means to live into transness.  

Lilyana: I’ll forever love Superorganism’s debut album. Their music is pretty goofy and they use a lot of cool samples. I’ve been getting into more local Columbus bands recently too! Befriend Strange Creatures and Spillway are both sick.

Olivia: My favorite artist currently is Jenna Gribbon. She is a Brooklyn-based portrait artist, and I love how she pushes the limitations of vulnerability and intimacy in portrait paintings. The honesty of her work really inspires me.