#wsf17

by Karen M. Andrews

Happy Spring! Our newest portrait post features two of our Spring’17 WSF students.  

Enjoy hearing from Allison Strouss and Nicholas Swider as they reflect on interning at distinctly different organizations in the city.

Here’s Nicholas (Nic) Swider, a Kinesiology major interning at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center:

(Photo credit, Jordan Bishop)

Nic Swider describes working as a Volunteer Chaplain with the Sojourn Chaplaincy at Zuckerberg San Francisco General:

My main responsibilities are meeting with patients and serving as spiritual and emotional support to patients in the hospital. I also do some administrative work when needed.

What has been most enjoyable so far is being mentored by some truly incredible people who have been working as chaplains for years now.

Getting exposed to so much diversity of faith and culture and learning how to interact with that diversity has been the most valuable part of my internship.

Nic explains why he has appreciated these encounters with diverse people and communities at the hospital:

One of the great experiences and challenges of working at the hospital is interacting with people of all different cultures and learning how to navigate these differences. Diverse cultures interact differently, through simple things such as eye contact.

Learning how to meet people where they are religiously or spiritually and discovering how to pray with and for people of other traditions has been so valuable.

Nic has served many patients from San Francisco’s multilingual and multicultural population through his internship with the interfaith chaplaincy program. Located in Potrero Hill, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center provides medical care for anyone in need, regardless of their ability to pay.

Allison (Allie) Strouss, an Art History major, interns at CK Contemporary and Christopher Clark Fine Art galleries

(Photo credit, Jordan Bishop)

Contrasting with Nic’s internship site, Allie’s high-end galleries are located downtown near San Francisco’s Union Square:

CK Contemporary displays the work of geographically diverse living artists, from Spain to Canada, and the pieces range from photorealistic oil paintings to bronze sculptures. Christopher Clark Fine Art, the sister gallery, carries the prints, etchings, and paintings of renowned artists ranging from Rembrandt to Dali.

Allie describes her responsibilities at these galleries:

I float between the two galleries assisting with a wide array of tasks as needed, such as entering a particular work of art’s framing descriptions, the restoration details on a piece that has been aged, or prices into a database.

In the art sales department on the main floor of the galleries, I observe client interactions and then enter their information into the database as well as a mailing list.

What has Allie found most enjoyable so far?

Surprisingly, data entry of the artworks has been the most educational and rewarding. I’ve learned about all of the logistics and details that go into getting a particular piece into its most sellable form or to the wall of a client’s home.

It amazes me how a dead artist’s work can go for as much as $179,000, and I’ve been impressed by the geographically diverse clientele at both galleries.

Allie explains why her internship at these art galleries has been valuable:

Working alongside and handling artwork that I have recently learned about in my art history courses at Westmont has been so valuable. To see particular works of art in real life that I have spent hours analyzing and studying for midterms, to actually touch them and see the selling process has been extremely rewarding and enjoyable.

My coworkers have opened my eyes about their career paths and how they have drastically changed since they were my age. It has restored my hope that I will find a career that best suits my passions. Forming relationships and networking are extremely crucial in getting to where you need to be in life. The art world is extremely competitive and not always glamorous, but I am certain that I am here for a reason this semester!

Allie and Nic, along with other “Advanced Composition” students, also have written creative profiles of their organizations and regularly share colorful stories with our WSF community.