Smith said the goal of the event is to connect art history and visual culture students with local artists and show them the paths they can take after graduation.

“There are so many ways an art history major can use their degree,” she said. “We thought it’d be great to celebrate the success of our alumni and make our greater MSU community aware of those as well.”

The event will feature four alumni who currently are working in various careers relating to art history, including working in a museum, gallery or library, teaching at a university and city planning.

“We wanted to get an array of people from different levels of their careers as well as different avenues,” Smith said.

Each presenter will participate in a panel discussion in which they describe their jobs and shed light on other possible career pathways.

Susan Wilczak, who received her master’s degree in art history from MSU in 1996, currently is a visiting lecturer of art history at Hope College in Holland, Mich., and plans to talk about her artistic background.

“I want to discuss some of the basic skills (students) need to think about before they graduate in order to prepare them for a career with their art degree,” she said.

Smith said art history and visual culture majors typically go on to work in one of a select few areas, such as in museums and galleries. But students are not limited to these options, and Smith said it is important to make them aware of other possibilities.

“We want them to know there are lots of opportunities for creative careers,” she said.

Art history and visual culture senior Kristin McCool said she plans to attend Friday’s event and is grateful for the opportunity to connect with experienced artists who already have been through what she is about to experience.

“It’s a great chance for us to network with people who already have applied for grad school,” she said.

Following graduation, McCool said she would like to become a professor and teach Chinese art history after spending a year in the country exposing herself to the culture.

McCool said she credits her lack of anxiety about landing a post-graduation job to the guidance she received from professors in her department.

“They have this great desire for us to succeed,” she said. “I can’t say that we even have a bad professor in our department because I don’t feel that way. They’re all so supportive.”
Smith said this kind of support is crucial for students, and faculty members should strive to go beyond just educating students about art — they also must teach students about how to survive in the industry.

“A lot of people pick this major because they’re really interested in art history,” she said. “But then helping them as young adults talk about their skills and market themselves is a whole other step of college education. It’s not just learning about art history. There’s another aspect.”