Dr. Sara Orel (Art History) put out a call on Facebook recently for information on what Art History alumni were up to. We were overwhelmed not only by the wonderful response but also all the great things that our alums are doing. So, this summer the blog will feature updates on all that great stuff!  The most recent post appears below:

Kat writes:

"My life has recently taken a turn back towards art history. In 2011, I enrolled in the Masters in Middle Eastern Studies program at Tel Aviv University, which has a very strong political science  and contemporary history emphasis. My intention in joinging the program was to become involved in NGO or IGO work in Israel. However, after a few months back in an academic setting, I realized two things: first, that I would like to remain in academia, rather than entering government work; and second, that my passion still lies with Islamic architecture in Southeast Asia. 

This month I was approved to begin writing my thesis for the program. For my project, I have chosen to compare the architecture of two mosques, with a special emphasis on Islamic concepts of sacred space and how the built environment is imbued with an Islamic meaning. The mosques I have selected are the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus and the Masjid Agung of Demak. I am beginning to learn Indonesian and hope to start studying Dutch in the near future, with the goal of entering a Ph.D. program in Architectural History or Southeast Asian Studies, where I will be able to continue research on the mosques of Indonesia."

Congratulatiuons, Kat!

If you are an alum of the Art Department and have news to share with us, please let us know!  art@truman.edu