Yearlong Audition: Brooke Marsh moves to next stage of art program

Michael Todd
Assistant Spectrum Editor

At 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Brooke Marsh joined hundreds of fellow students in a line that stretched half the length of Bowe Street parking garage, where the art foundations program is housed.

At the end of the line, students each received a single white envelope distributed by AFO faculty members.

For most of its students, VCU’s art foundation program is a year of endless, back-to-back projects, sleepless all-nighters and, often, creative frustration. In the middle of the spring semester, usually following spring break, the rigorous process culminates with the submission of student portfolios, which determine students’ majors in the School of the Arts.

Marsh originally applied to VCU with the intention of majoring in photography but over the course of her first year, she had a change of heart and decided she was more interested in a client-based major and career after graduation. When she submitted her portfolio, Marsh placed photography third on her list, with graphic design as her first choice and communication arts as her second.

“I’m worried but excited at the same time,” Marsh said a few days before letters were handed out. “I’m comfortable with any of the three majors I put. … I’m kind of nervous because I really do want my first choice major … but I won’t be like ‘I’m not going to come back to school next year’-type upset if I don’t get it.”

Once Marsh finally had her letter in hand, she stepped to the side, just a few yards from where other students were still receiving their letters. Her nervous smile faltered when Marsh opened her letter to discover she had been accepted to her third choice, photography.

Students like Marsh who maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher are guaranteed a major, and approximately 90 percent of students are admitted into their first choice. However, according to Nancy Scott, the associate dean for academic administration in the School of the Arts, communication arts and graphic design have been the two most popular majors since 2008.

This year, out of approximately 400 AFO students, at least 110 applied to communication arts and at least 78 applied to graphic design. With such high application numbers, students applying to graphic design and communication arts had the highest risk of being denied their first choice. Marsh had been told that graphic design would only be accepting 60 students this year.

“There’s nothing I can do about it. … I tried my best this year,” Marsh said. “So, I mean, whatever happens, happens. It’s not like I slacked off and I’m expecting to get into the most competitive major here.”

In addition to her photography major, Marsh is considering multiple minor options, including media studies or craft and material studies, specifically glass and ceramics. Marsh may also pursue some painting and printmaking classes.

“I think that it would be good for graphic design, just to have a different type of media under (my) belt,” Marsh said.

After setting aside photography as a hobby and having decided to fight for her place in the graphic design program, Marsh feels she has come a long way.

“I found my place, I feel comfortable, and this is what I want to do now,” she said. “I think it’s good to question yourself. … I always wanted to do photojournalism, but I feel like I’ve found something I really like … and I’m pretty sure it’s what I want to do.”

After the initial shock of reading her letter, Marsh had to spend a few moments alone to compose herself. She admitted that, despite her confidence and self-assurance, she was not expecting to be placed into photography.

“I feel like I worked really hard all semester,” Marsh said. “I don’t really understand, honestly. I really wanted to do graphic design.”

For some departments, like sculpture and extended media, it is possible for students who were not accepted to appeal to the department or state a case for reconsideration. However, graphic design, which runs more on a waiting-list system, is not one of those departments. Because of this, Marsh has decided she will stick with photography for the fall semester.

“I am definitely happy being a photo major. … I was just shocked I guess,” Marsh said. “I was really optimistic about getting into graphic design. It’s not that I do not like photography. I love it. I came here for photo.”

Later Wednesday, Marsh spoke with Sasha Waters-Freyer, the chair of the photography and film department, Jon Sheridan, the administrative director for the department and her new advisor. Together they discussed how Marsh could orient her photography curriculum towards her graphic design interests.

“I just felt that graphic design would be more for me because I could still do photo on the side,” Marsh said. “But I guess I’ll just be doing it the opposite way now, (with graphic design) on the side.”

Portfolio submissions can be a stressful time for many students. Some may not feel that they have produced enough work for their portfolios. Others struggle with image photographing or editing. Marsh, however, experienced little difficulty with her portfolio.

“I had everything ready. The hardest part of my portfolio was probably pressing ‘submit,’” she said. “Filling out your portfolio is not hard at all. I can see where it’s stressful because you don’t know what to put in … (But) once I put everything in there, the hardest part was just sending it.”

Portfolios consisted of a minimum of 16 pieces from each of the required four studio classes, Time Studio, Space Research, Drawing Studio and Surface Research. However, students could submit an additional four pieces for a maximum of 20 pieces, or 25 images. Video or sound pieces each counted as one image.

Despite her satisfaction with her portfolio, Marsh said it could have been stronger if she had more time. Even though Marsh felt that her Space Research and Drawing Studio pieces were strong, she was less confident about her Surface Research and Time Studio projects.

Marsh admitted that, at the beginning of the AFO program, she felt more like she was trying to be an art major and less like she actually was one. When so few students continue as practicing artists after graduation, Marsh is one of many students who has questioned whether she is in the right place, pursuing the right degree or even entering the correct career field.

After deciding to enter into the photography department, Marsh feels she has come a long way.

“I’m going to experience photo this coming year and I’m going to take the best out of it,” Marsh said. “I’m looking forward to learning new techniques and everything. I love the department.”