The fine art of fine arts degrees

For many, college is a time of self discovery. Whether it’s math, writing, art, history or some combination of interests, the ultimate goal at the University of South Dakota is to find what drives students, and then hopefully get hired at a job where they can make money doing what they love.

Actors, musicians and artists are equally as hopeful for a bright, successful future in their field of choice. But what about after graduation?

Students on the path to a fine arts degree are immediately assigned an adviser who is a professor in their specialization of choice, according to Steve Ward, Director of Academic and Career Planning Center.

“It’s specialized,” he said. “They want to develop personal relationships with all of their students.”

One of these students is junior Jason Logan.

As a sculpture major, he spends his days in the Fine Arts Center pursuing his passion.

“I would like to make art and continue to create,” he said.

Even though sculpture is a specialized field, Logan is confident he will be able to make a living doing what he loves one day. But for now, he’s a cook at Raziel’s.

“I’m just getting to the point where I have a body of work to show,” he said.

Most of Logan’s work is made from metal and wood and he takes a narrative conceptual approach when building and sculpting.

He’s not overly enthused about one medium of expression over another, as long as he gets to use his passion to convey ideas and happiness to others.

“For most people, there’s a disconnect from their career and their passion,” he said.

“You do what you’ve got to do until you make it.”

For Logan, this means possibly making canvases for a living and continuing to cook at Raziel’s, but he has three semesters of school left and is considering returning for a master’s degree.

“You need the recognition of your peers,” he said. “They need to see you’ve gone through the proper training. It’s what professionals want.”

Another area where education could be seen as crucial is theatre.

Junior Reid Determan said he found his love for acting during his first year at USD in an entry level acting class. Upon graduating from high school in Mitchell, he said he had no idea what he wanted to major in, but came to USD anyway and signed up for the acting class on a whim.

“There are so many things I want to do, so this way, I get to pretend to do them all,” he said.

While Determan is currently in the cast of “The Mirror Princess,” a play that will be performed in March. He hasn’t had much luck acquiring roles in the past.

But he’s still optimistic about a career as an actor, preferably on the silver screen.

“If people have it within them and they have a drive, they should go for it,” he said.
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“At least you tried.”

Determan’s hopes lie in the New York Showcase, a casting opportunity where USD professors take senior theatre majors to New York City to present songs or monologues to talent agents. If nothing comes of that, he plans to move to Los Angeles and try his luck on his own.

“I’d rather live in a harsh reality instead of an idealistic fantasy,” Determan said.

His backup plan is to be a bartender or possibly something involving construction, but Determan  said acting will take a front seat.

“I know I want to do this, and confidence is knowing this will make me happy and I can do this anywhere,” he said.

There are times when a career path veers, and it can result in an entirely new, unthinkable way to use a fine arts degree and still make money.

Monica Iverson owns a local catering bakery called Cakes by Monica. The USD graduate has hired several cake decorators over the years, but said she has found that the best ones have been art students.

“They have to have a good eye naturally and know what colors work together and what designs will work well together,” Iverson said. “It’s very much an art form. It really does take an artistic eye.”

Her two top cake decorators and designers are former USD students who were attending school with the hope of attaining a degree in fine arts. After working with Iverson for a couple of years, they both opted to not complete their degree and work with the cakes full time instead.

But Iverson said other degrees are also helpful when it comes to constructing and baking a cake; engineering can be just as important.

“There is a lot of construction in that, so you have to know what you’re doing as far as weight. It’s kind of like sculpture,” she said.

Regardless of the career options, some students choose to walk away from a degree and take another path.

One of them is sixth-year student Joseph English, who is currently in the process of switching from a music education major to a general studies major.

“It’s time for me to get a degree and get out,” he said.

The Winner native came to USD solely because of the music program, but decided to switch majors this year because it was taking too long to get the one he wanted. He blames it on the turnover from one adviser to another within the music department.

“I was willing to put myself through that because I enjoy music so much,” English said.

English said his ideal job would be teaching music to elementary school children or high school students, but he has been assistant station manager at a radio station for the last two years instead.

When he graduates, English said he plans on continuing to work in radio while looking for music teaching opportunities in the Midwest.

“Music has more options because you’re able to teach,” English said. “Theatre is harder, and art is on the cusp, but finding a job is extremely

difficult.”