By Anna Van Voorhis

Hometown: Montclair, NJ Nickname: Radler (It’s not just a combination of her first and last name, but also the name of a famous German drink that mixes beer and lemonade!) Minors: German and Psychology Favorite Meal: Disco fries from the Six Brothers Diner- “it’s sort of like poutine Jersified” Favorite Class in High School: A general Humanities class, which sparked her interest in Art History Why you might know her: She’s the Photo Editor for The Mac Weekly, she’s been an Orientation Leader for the past two years, she works for the Department of Campus Programs, she volunteers with Free Arts Minnesota, and she is one of the co-chairs of Art Alliance. Why you ought to know her: Rachel is one of the few senior Studio Art majors who did not take 3D Design her freshman year. Instead the department hooked her through the “Chinese Art and Culture” course she took her freshman year, in which she was one of four students. The next semester she took Printmaking with fellow Studio Art major Larsen Husby ‘12. The history and studio combination 1-2 punch wowed her into declaring an Art History major that same spring. She then spent the next two years declared as an Art History major. But once she began a studio intensive program at NYU in Berlin, she finally succumbed to the siren’s call of the Studio Art major. It was while producing art, in her stylish studio apartment in West Berlin, that she decided that she wanted to “make art not just study art.” Rachel, like anyone else who has ever wandered in Berlin, fell in love with the city. But for her it was more than just the chic cafes and passionate sounds of the German language. Berlin was the city in which her grandmother was raised before fleeing from the Nazi Regime to the US. Her time there not only yielded a greater understanding of what she wanted to major in, but also of the complexity of her Jewish/German heritage. Although Radler hopes there will “be more German in my future,” she has yet to decide her immediate post-graduation plans. Eventually, however, Rachel is interested in pursuing a career in Art Therapy and eventually plans on getting her masters in the field. She loves working with little kids, and between her volunteering and summer preschool teaching position, has gained a wealth of experience. Despite her late switch from an Art History to Studio Art major, she’s ended up getting very attached to the department. She definitely worries she may suffer from Art Department People and Place Withdrawal (ADPPW) upon graduating, a syndrome that will probably affect all other Studio Art majors. refresh –>