What’s been happening:

Greetings! I hope this message finds you well. As it turns out, Penn State proved to be a very nurturing environment after all. In 1994, I graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, earning a MFA degree. Settling in Chicago, I continued my hard work in the studio and exhibited as often as I could. A variety of teaching jobs allowed me to work with students of all ages and abilities, but I never really had the time to pursue the galleries seriously. I currently teach at a performing arts high school on the South side of Chicago. Teaching there has proven to be an extraordinary challenge as a large portion of our student families are recent immigrants. As a response to the language issues our students face, I've become a literacy facilitator and work with staff to encourage the use of reading and writing strategies across all of the content areas. I have been extremely fortunate--in 2008, I was group leader on a Spring break student trip through Venice, Florence, Assisi, and Rome, Italy. In April of 2009, we traveled through Rome, Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento, and Capri, Italy, and then onto Delphi and Athens, Greece. Unbelievably, we were staying in Frascati (45 minutes Southwest of La Aquila) when the earthquake hit. An epic moment not soon forgotten. Yikes! Best wishes to everyone! I'm looking forward to reading about you all.