The College of Fine Arts proudly congratulates all students who are graduating this semester! While we’re unable to gather in person for a commencement ceremony in December due to the pandemic, we celebrate the accomplishments of students, like Sofia Stocker, who chose to major in Art Education so she could teach children about their unlimited potential.
Sofia Stocker, School of Art
Degree: BFA in Art Education
Sofia Stocker
Hometown: Austin, TX
Why did you choose TCU for your education?
Before visiting TCU, I was attracted to the beautiful campus and the amazing facilities, but I did not know anything substantial about the culture of the school. What I found from my first time visiting was how much TCU makes an effort to be a caring campus filled with resources and support. I felt deeply that they cared about their students and their success. TCU was the only school that I had a gut feeling about attending, and I have never been so happy about following my better intuition.
Why did you choose to pursue a degree in the field of art?
For me, it was more about choosing education first and my desire to show young lives their limitless potential. Art education is the best way to teach students about just that. Art allows us to explore different facets of ourselves and the world around us. Visual art allows us to see and experiences different perspectives, which I find crucial for developing minds. I chose to study art because I believe it is fun and challenging at the same time. There will never be a cap to what I know and can learn about art. As an artist myself, I find that I never stop learning and am always curious about new mediums or methods of creating. I also find the same thing to be true with children: they are explorers and creators.
Tell us about your time at TCU.
TCU and the College of Fine Arts has given me so many opportunities during my time here. I spent the summer of 2019 as an education intern at The Contemporary Museum in Austin, TX. While there, I helped design family guide pamphlets for understanding and interaction with the works of art. I also helped organize and run the free community events for families to come and create art at the museum. I had the privilege to be a member of the TCU Society of Artists and Art Educators for three years where I participated in yearly exhibitions. In the fall of 2019, I participated in Fort Worth’s Arts Goggle on Magnolia Street as an artist vendor where I spent the day at a booth selling my artwork and getting the chance to connect with other local artists. This past semester, I have had the opportunity to participate in local art therapy workshops for art educators to learn restorative practices that I will potentially implement into my classroom.
Tell us about your proudest accomplishment while at TCU.
I had the privilege of being in the inaugural group of TCU students to go study abroad in Stellenbosch, South Africa. Since we were the first group to go, there were a lot of unknowns going into this program where we moved across the world for five months and just learned as we went. When I arrived, I wasn’t all too sure where to go, where I was living, or with whom I was going to live. It was the most uncomfortable and rewarding experience during my time at TCU. We had no other choice but to immerse ourselves in the culture, try new things, and connect with the people around us. This experience led to many once-in-a-lifetime experiences from teaching local students to helping with a wildlife veterinarian on a game reserve and experiencing African wildlife up close and personal. Those five months held a tremendous amount of personal growth and life experience that could have never happened without taking the risk of going.
What will you miss most about TCU?
TCU is such a special place. In my experience, almost all of my professors and administrators truly wanted to see me succeed in any way possible and they were willing to share an abundance of resources and opportunities. These connections and community I have made will last a lifetime. I will miss my relationships with my teachers that continually push me to be the best version of myself.
What are your plans post-graduation?
As of right now, I am planning on moving somewhere new and teaching middle school art. I’m not sure where this next part of my life will take me, but I am certain that I will be making art along the way and hopefully landing somewhere I can plant roots. I am ready to dig into a new culture and contribute my skills and knowledge in hopes of transforming lives through art education.