Alumna Laurie Brown guest lectures in ARE 5640 Ethics and Professional Issues
On March 23, 2016, FSU Art Therapy Alumna Laurie Brown gave a guest lecture in Dr. Dave Gussak‘s Ethics and Professional Issues (ARE 5640) class. Brown, who graduated from the program in 2010, is now a Visual Art Specialist for grades 6-12 working in the Duval County school system. During her lecture, attended by second year art therapy students, Brown discussed her journey after graduation. This included earning her teaching certification, which she uses to incorporate art therapy into her classrooms.
Apart from distilling practicalities about the teacher certification process, Brown encouraged the students in Dr. Gussak’s class to “think big” about the possibilities after graduation and, if they choose to work in the school system, to be creative about the real-world application of their lesson plans. She also advocated for the creation of projects which engage the community. Brown described ways art therapy graduates can make themselves stand out in the job market and how to “make yourself relevant and visible.”
Brown said of her experiences after graduation:
It’s been awesome to see so many different classrooms, but also to have the freedom to come and talk to you guys.
The department would like to thank Laurie Brown for visiting and imparting her wisdom as an alumna to current students. We look forward to hearing more from her in the future.
