A gallery featuring artworks by Ringling College scholars in the Lazarus Engaged Learning Assistantship remains on display at the Alfred R. Goldstein Library through Jan. 31. The artworks, which were first presented on Jan. 17, were inspired by each Lazarus Scholar’s community nonprofit partner and are intended to raise awareness about the causes they represent.
Lazarus Scholars pair with local nonprofits for the length of their time at Ringling College. The students provide valuable community service while undergoing professional development, applying their skills in a real-world setting, and engaging with important community causes.
In the summer between their first and second years, the Lazarus Assistantship annually challenges its scholars to identify a topic related to their nonprofit community partner and develop an art piece to bring awareness about that topic and the nonprofit itself. This year’s gallery, curated by Tessa Wijaya ’25, Illustration, and featuring works from the 2027 Lazarus Cohort, represents topics related to the American Heart Association, Tidewell Hospice, the Manatee County Boys and Girls Club, Manatee Children Services, and Multicultural Health Institute.
“I created this riso-printed comic to inspire meaningful connections, encourage dialogue about the power of legacy, and advocate for support of Empath Health/Tidewell Hospice,” said Leo Motherway ’27, Illustration, of his Sunset Legacy. “Through warm imagery of a hospice space and a family gathered to read their father’s legacy book, I try to evoke a sense of family, reverence, and the importance of preserving stories.”
“Through this piece, I hope to represent the ‘American Dream,’ a promise often exported to the Global South as an ideal of prosperity and fulfillment. However, behind its allure, the ‘American Dream’ has a long history shaped by colonization” said Widya Kendran ’27, Film, of her piece, Ashes, created in honor of the Multicultural Health Institute. “My hope is that Ashes opens a heartfelt conversation about what the ‘American Dream’ truly means for the mental health of Asians and Asian Americans, especially immigrants. I want to honor the resilience of these stories, even when the smoke fades.”
The Lazarus Engaged Learning Assistantship is made possible by the generous support of The Rudi Lazarus Foundation.
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