Art Education Doctoral Student Yiwen Wei Receives NAEF Grant

The Department of Art Education would like to extend its congratulations to Art Education Doctoral student Yiwen Wei for receiving the National Art Education Foundation Research Grant in Art Education.

In reflection of this achievement, Wei has provided the following statement:

Inspired by a dedicated Taiwanese Arts Education professor, I decided to follow my dream and pursue my doctoral degree in the United States after being an elementary school teacher for seven years. Promoting arts education for all children is one of the most important things that I will devote my lifetime to. My life journey and working experiences with children from a variety of social and culture backgrounds have cultivated my research interest in exploring the relationship between social class and arts education. Social class, as “an elephant in the room,” plays a crucial role in arts education but was rarely discussed. I feel encouraged that my research topic has been recognized by the National Art Education Foundation. To be a committed teacher and future scholar, I will keep on deepening my understanding of art education, gaining real life experiences, and cultivating my leadership.

Congratulations, Yiwen, for this outstanding achievement!