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Avri Ross

1x

Finalist

1x

Winner

General information

Hobbies & Interests

  • Advocacy And Activism
  • American Sign Language (ASL)
  • Art
  • Birdwatching
  • Ceramics And Pottery
  • Community Service And Volunteering
  • Drawing And Illustration
  • Painting and Studio Art
  • Politics and Political Science
  • Environmental Science and Sustainability
  • Mental Health
  • Graphic Design
  • Swimming
  • Babysitting And Childcare

Reading

  • Adult Fiction
  • Health
  • History
  • Horror
  • Short Stories
  • Psychology
  • Politics
  • Realistic Fiction

I read books multiple times a week.

Bio

Hello, everyone. I am an autistic senior majoring in Studio Arts at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Since I was young, expression, advocacy, and hope for humanity's future have been my passions. One of my earliest drawings, saved by my mother, was a superhero named "Peace Girl," whose abilities were to bring world peace and influence bullies to tread a kinder, more compassionate path of life. These morals are what I still abide by today, especially when it comes to the defense, protection, advocacy, awareness, and representation of marginalized groups. I have and continue to make significant strides towards truly obtaining the ability to be an advocate for not only people like myself, but also those who face differing forms of oppression and marginalization. From volunteering at food banks and animal shelters, hosting art galleries amid the COVID-19 pandemic, to now being UNCW's Atlantis Creative Magazine's new art editor, I have been able to build rapport, gain experience, represent myself and others, and work on empathy, passion, and determination to ultimately make our world a safer, more supportive place for those who were not born into that reality.

Education

University of North Carolina Wilmington

Bachelor's degree program

2024 – 2026

Majors:
  • Fine and Studio Arts

Johnston Community College

Bachelor's degree program

2023 – 2024

Majors:
  • Visual and Performing Arts, General

American River College

Bachelor's degree program

2021 – 2023

Majors:
  • Visual and Performing Arts, General

Natomas Charter

High School

2017 – 2021

Miscellaneous

Desired degree level:
Master's degree program
Desired degree modality:
Full-Time, In-Person
Medical school interest:
No

Career

  • Atlantis Magazine's Art Editor

    Publishing · Atlantis Creative Magazine

    Jan 2025 – Present

  • Assistant Pool Manager, Senior Lifeguard, Swim Instructor

    Recreational Facilities and Services · North Natomas Aquatics Center

    Jan 2022 – Jan 2023

  • Lifeguard, Senior Lifeguard, Swim Instructor

    Recreational Facilities and Services · Charles Brooks Community Swim Center

    Jan 2018 – Jan 2020

Miscellaneous

Dream career field:
Arts
Dream career goals:
Muralism and expressive work related to human rights, politics, and defending/supporting marginalized communities (e.g. people of color, those with disabilities, the LGBTQ+ community, women, etc.)
Work experience:
4 years
Has nursing license:
No

Future Interests

  • Advocacy
  • Politics
  • Volunteering
  • Philanthropy
  • Entrepreneurship
Hunter Dean Temple Art Scholarship
Winner
Children draw; pictures are filled with bright colors, mythical creatures, and oddly-shaped people, pinned proudly by their parents on the fridge. Children also grow up, maturing, finding their paths, cliques, and achieving academic greatness. Many often stop drawing. I did not. I grew up in a broken home, raised solely by my struggling yet hardworking mother with no support from my father. I was seen as ‘emotionally disturbed’, existing as a problem in school. “You could have talked to us,” they’d say. But, I had no words for how I felt; there were no words for how I felt. So, I did what I knew best. I drew. Hollowed eyes and melancholic expressions showed what words could not. Each brush stroke was a word I could hardly mutter. I shared how I felt, uploading my work online as a way to say, “this is how I feel. This is what life is like for me.” I’d finally begun to feel recognized, and others unexpectedly began to relate. My art no longer only communicated what I saw and felt; it communicated what others did, too. Art has since evolved into my passion and lifeline, more than just communication fit for myself; it has developed into a way of connecting and representing those who feel just as I once did. This coming May, I will be graduating from the University of North Carolina Wilmington with a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Arts, an achievement I hold dearly, especially for my mother, who has supported me through emotional and financial hardship, something the Hunter Dean Temple Scholarship would ease and allow us to continue forward. Though words come more easily now, my art remains how I communicate best. It’s a window into my world and, for many others, a window into their own.
Avri Ross Student Profile | Bold.org