Rachel Yeates, Campus Carrier Copy Editor
On April 24, Catherine Cottage and International Student Programs co-hosted a gallery of artwork that highlighted the empowerment of women and girls around the world.
The event, called Global Gallery, featured many photographs from students who had studied abroad or are currently studying abroad, as well as mixed media collages, paintings and drawings, also created by students.
Sarah Egerer, director of International Programs, also lead a brief discussion on international service at the event.
Catherine Cottage residents participate in the Residence Life Year of Service program, which involves students living in cottages and houses on campus spending the year raising money or awareness for a specific cause or organization. Catherine Cottage residents have chosen to partner with Girl Up, an organization that helps girls around the world receive an education when they may not be able to otherwise.
Junior Abbey Smyth, resident of Catherine Cottage, described how the cottage chose their service goal for this year.
“The Girl Up theme was actually chosen by Olivia [Paige], and she’s studying abroad in India this semester,” Smyth said. “I wasn’t really involved with education for girls in other countries before, and then when we all got together and brainstormed about the cottage, it just came together, and we got really passionate about helping girls.”
Smyth mentioned the cottage’s fundraising efforts last semester and said they had reached their fundraising goals already. Their showing of the film “Girl Rising” and the Miss Berry contest, which they cosponsored with KCAB, raised enough money to sponsor three girls’ high school education internationally.
Smyth said the gallery was about “letting people know what’s going on … money wasn’t our main focus.”
Another Catherine Cottage resident, sophomore Mackenzie Ross, said that as a woman, she feels it is important for her to spread the word.
“We felt it was really important as women on a campus full of women that we … hopefully empower others and raise awareness that we get this education that others may not get,” Ross said.
Smyth said the Catherine Cottage girls were interested in art and thought it would be an interesting way to promote their cause.
“We thought since we had this nice big space in the cottage it would be a good opportunity to showcase art that would raise awareness,” Smyth said.
In order to get artwork for the event, Ross said they sent out an email through International Student Programs and chose 24 pieces from the submissions.
Junior Haley Sawyer had several pieces in the gallery. Sawyer said she wanted to go for “breadth” in her work so as to address diversity. Her pieces covered a range of media and cultures.
“I thought the theme was really fantastic, the whole empowering women mantra,” Sawyer said. “It’s my favorite service cottage, and I’ve seen the most from them, so I was really happy that I would get to contribute to it.”
Right after the open gallery, Egerer invited the artists in attendance to speak a bit about their work. The discussion focused on the importance of being culturally aware and accepting when abroad. Guests also talked about personal service and study abroad experiences.
Catherine Cottage residents will be continuing to sponsor Girl Up next year, even though they will no longer be living in Catherine. They hope to raise enough money to sponsor high school education for five girls.
Attendees voted for their favorite pieces. Sawyer won first place, senior Justin Long won second place and sophomore Brad Tilka won third place.
More information can be found on Catherine Cottage’s Facebook page, “Global Love,” and their new website, berrygloballove.weebly.com.