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Ashley phillips

1x

Finalist

Bio

My life goal is to create a safe space for the younger generations. I want to better myself as well as help others.

Education

University of Illinois at Chicago

Bachelor's degree program
2025 - 2029
  • Majors:
    • Education, Other
    • Visual and Performing Arts, Other

Miscellaneous

  • Desired degree level:

    Master's degree program

  • Graduate schools of interest:

  • Transfer schools of interest:

  • Majors of interest:

    • Anthropology
    • American Sign Language
    • Fine and Studio Arts
  • Not planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Arts

    • Dream career goals:

      Art education

      Sports

      Softball

      Varsity
      2022 – 20253 years

      Awards

      • mvp
      • clarkie
      • player of the year
      Kerry Kennedy Life Is Good Scholarship
      My career of choice is art education. I am an aspiring artist myself and I love to express different emotions in any way possible, whether it is painting, drawing, or sculpting. In my opinion, art is a great way to show people how you feel with-out needing to have a conversation. You don’t need to have a high level of skills to express yourself either, which makes it even greater. I am so passionate about art education, mainly in high school classes. High school was a rough time for me. it almost felt like I wasn’t going to make it out and graduate. But my counselor told me to, and I quote “celebrate tiny wins”. I began to go to my art class every chance I could get. I was pretty much in my art class for about three class periods. My tiny win was finishing my artworks. But lots of people just came into the class to chill, it was the only class that allowed us to express ourselves without being criticized, and getting a bad grade because we apparently didn’t do the assignment right. The art room is a place to just break away from all the structural assignments that have become so boring. Instead of having an assignment given to you that the teachers supposedly said we can do in our own style, to later on grade us badly because we did it wrong. Art classes give us enough room to be creative and not think about those other classes. They allow us to just breathe. Becoming an art educator will allow me the opportunity to give the future generation a space to just be themselves. A space where when they feel overwhelmed and stressed out there is an outlet. I want to create a safe space for students to express themselves without having to feel like they just have to complete the assignment to get the grade and make the teacher happy. A sacrifice I have made is my time. I have been trying to better myself in any way possible in my art. I have also sacrificed my dorming status, leading to me having to get on the train every day for an hour and 30 minutes, walking whether it is snowing or raining to get to school, some of my classes end at a late time so I have to commute in the dark. As well as since the prices of food in Chicago is so high, and I do not have a food plan, I have to wait until I get home to save money. But with all that being said, I am determined to get my education, no matter the conditions that have been thrown at me. Being an art educator and helping the future generations is worth it.