Lauren Close ’12 majored in both History & Art History.
There are many things that set Wooster apart from other undergraduate institutions, including small class sizes, student research opportunities and emphasis on independent thought. However, I believe that Wooster’s greatest educational asset is the faculty and the supportive intellectual culture they generate. At the beginning of my senior year, I was nervous about how my IS would evolve in the coming months. My advisors suggested that I give myself space to do something creative and develop a non-traditional IS. In my enthusiasm for researching something I truly loved, I gave myself a workload which was almost more than I could handle. Nonetheless, Throughout the I.S. process, my advisors maintained an unshakable faith in my abilities and encouraged me to push myself. With their support, I developed a website to accompany my written I.S. and then presented my work at a conference. This level of commitment that Wooster professors have for their students is not just admirable, it is fundamental to the quality education that the college provides. After graduation I moved to New York, at first as a museum intern and now to work at a private art collection. I find myself drawing upon the academic skill set I acquired at Wooster on a daily basis. I plan to begin graduate school next fall to earn a degree that will allow me to someday inspire others in the way that my mentors inspired me.