“My internships within the Department have given me a lot of real-world experience that has prepared me for what to expect outside of college.”
Olivia Norquist is an Art History Major from Cedarburg, Wisconsin. Her decision to attend Gustavus stemmed from the warm welcome she received on her campus tour, along with the endless opportunities the College had to get involved.
She chose her Art History major after a noticeable spark of interest during an AP class in high school. “I appreciate the unique perspective on history that art and artifacts give,” Norquist said. “Oftentimes, this story gets overlooked in traditional textbook history.”
Along with studying Art History, Norquest is in the Gustavus Wind Symphony, where she plays flute. Lately, she has been getting involved with ThriftyGold, a club that hosts thrifting trips, clothing swaps, and hopefully mending workshops in the future.
Her favorite thing in the Art and Art history Department was getting her own art historian’s desk. She loved being friends with everyone in the Fine Arts hallway because, “there was always someone to give feedback on a design choice or help with a project.”
Norquist’s advisor, Colleen Stockmann, has been an enthusiastic supporter of her ideas. “ I’ve learned so much about writing through the classes I have taken with them,” said Norquist, who has also appreciated the grant writing and formal analysis skills she gained while interning with the Department.