University of Arkansas Celebrates its First Graduating Cohort of MA Art History Students in Partnership with Crystal Bridges

This spring, the University of Arkansas School of Art will graduate its first cohort of MA Art History students, specializing in the study of the arts of the Americas in partnership with Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

The program has a multivocal and inclusive approach to art history and provides interdisciplinary training and work experience. Thanks to the Walton Charitable Support Foundation, the program is tuition-free and offers additional funding support through assistantships, fellowships, and research and travel grants.

“I cannot overstate the impact of being a part of a fully funded MA program,” said Alex Betz, graduate student and intern at Creative Arkansas Community Hub and Exchange (CACHE). “I’ve been able to immerse myself in my studies and pursue a host of opportunities that otherwise would have been inaccessible to me.” 

Students explore key themes essential to understanding the arts of the Americas, guided by faculty and professional experts. 

“We have been able to broaden our perspectives through in-depth seminars on a range of topics,” said graduate student Djamila Ricciardi. “A personal highlight was a course taught by Crystal Bridges curator Jen Padgett. She offered us a peek behind the curtain at the museum and we learned how an exhibition comes together, from initial concept to final install.” 

Raven Cook, Ella Nowicki, Ibby Ouweleen, and Larissa Randall are also graduating in May 2025 and had unique hands-on experience with local art organizations. 

Ouweleen interned with Art Bridges and describes the experience as meaningful, both intellectually and professionally.

“I helped develop two exhibits while researching and writing about new acquisitions, like Rashid Johnson’s Untitled Escape Collage,” said Ouweleen. “I am so energized by the important work of Art Bridges and loved being part of the team so much that I began working for them as a curatorial research assistant. A show I’ve worked on is opening next fall, and it will be my first curatorial byline.”

Along with Betz, Cook held an internship at CACHE, where she identified grant opportunities, engaged with artists, and assisted with a new online resource library.

Nowicki interned with Crystal Bridges as a curatorial intern, while Randall, an assistant curator, continued working at the museum while pursuing their degree. 

“These remarkable students came to us from near and far, holding undergraduate degrees from the University of Arkansas, Williams College, and the University of Cambridge,” said Jennifer Greenhill, who recruited the first cohort as the inaugural graduate director. “Their unique perspectives have enriched the new program in fundamental ways and helped to set a high standard, along with the excellent faculty we have hired to build on existing cross-institutional expertise in Indigenous, Mesoamerican, African diaspora, Latin American, and Latiné artistic traditions.”

For more information about the MA Art History program, visit art.uark.edu.