A new splash of color, creativity and student expression has recently been added to the walls of the Lemonis Center for Student Success at Marquette.
Artwork from student artists through the Student Art Initiative, a program launched by the Career Center in spring 2023, is now being showcased not only to help make the space more inviting but something far more impactful.
Courtney Hanson, director of the Career Center, said the initiative was created as a way for students to reflect on and visually explore themes of culture, career, inclusion and success.
“We felt we could do more to make our environment more welcoming,” Hanson says. “The Student Art Initiative was created so students could creatively express their unique perspective and feel a sense of community and belonging.”
The Lemonis Center, which now houses the Career Center alongside other student success services, provided the perfect canvas for the growing initiative.
Student artists submitted proposals responding to themes such as Culture and Career, Defining Success and Inclusion at Marquette. A committee of Marquette staff and students selected the final group of artists based on originality, expressiveness and alignment with the themes. The selected works range widely in medium, from acrylic and watercolor paintings to mixed media and digital art.
“Honestly, each year I am so proud of the artists,” Hanson says. “It takes vulnerability to share artistic vision, and for many this is the first time they’re displaying their art to a broader audience.”
The Student Art Exhibition, which showcases the final works, has become a favorite event for Hanson. “It is wonderful to celebrate the artists’ visions and individuality, while observing the positive reactions of students, staff, faculty and community partners,” she says.
This year’s exhibition was supported by partnerships across and beyond campus. The Career Center and Enterprise Mobility, an employer partner committed to fostering community and belonging, sponsored five pieces tied to Culture and Career. The Lemonis Center funded two pieces exploring Defining Success, and the Office of Inclusion and Belonging sponsored a piece focused on Inclusion at Marquette.
One artist, Jia Kamin, a rising sophomore majoring in psychology, created an artwork symbolizing inner strength and perseverance. It features a silhouette with light radiating from the chest, surrounded by flowing water and two koi positioned at the head and the heart. Beside each artwork in the Lemonis Center is a plaque describing the piece’s meaning. The artwork encourages viewers to define success on their own terms and recognize their true potential.
Nursing alumna Kayla Puangco created an artwork titled “Bayanihan in Medicine” that represents the Filipino tradition of community and care. Drawing on the meaning of bayan as nation or shared responsibility, this piece reflects the artist’s identity as a nursing student rooted in support and compassion. Inspired by a close family member who was hospitalized, the piece honors the Filipino spirit of service and the connection between culture, career and care.
More than a display of artistic talent, the exhibition encourages dialogue and reflection.
“My hope is that [this] gives students a deeper sense of belonging within the Marquette community,” Hanson says. “Art has a way of bringing people together and making them think.”
She envisions a future where the Student Art Initiative expands beyond the Lemonis Center and into other spaces on campus.
Adds Hanson: “I like to imagine that in the distant future when I’ve retired, I could come back to see student art covering the walls and maybe other spaces on campus as well.”
