Hi, my name is Emily Crosby Lehmann and I am a sophomore nursing major with a concentration in family studies. Although I’m not in any arts classes or ensembles on campus, I’ve played violin for over 10 years and have danced competitively and professionally for many years. On campus I am a member of the service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega and I work in Admissions! My goal after graduating from St. Olaf is to work in a children’s hospital for a year in the ER or ICU and then continue to receive my doctorate in nursing practice and become a pediatric acute care nurse practitioner. Although it isn’t the most obvious connection, arts and health care can be very connected and hospitals with arts programs lead to lower costs, increased comfort, decreased use of sedatives in patients, and increased length of life (Americans for the Arts, Arts in Healthcare).
I decided to take this class because I want to know more about how art intersects with history and our government and how art can be used to shape how the public perceives the country. I think this is especially interesting in the current political climate and that it is important to be able to examine and question the truth and real history behind art pieces as we look back at the messy history of the United States. I am most excited to have a busy month full of going to new places and seeing new things. I am also very excited to be living in Washington DC for a month because of the endless things to do and see and also to be living in a city for a month. Living in a large city will be difficult for me because I am incredibly directionally challenged but luckily, I do not mind getting lost and wandering around. Unlike many of my classmates, I am not a music or arts major which makes me nervous because I do not know as much about the arts, but I am excited for a month full of learning from the places we visit, the people we meet, and my classmates! I also am great at sleeping and I think have a shot at winning our class’ “who got the most sleep over the entire interim” competition.