Entering my second year as the art editor for Elan, I realize I have learned a lot in my experiences thus far. As a writer, I have been exposed to so many different forms of creativity, opening my eyes to the many individuals who express themselves through their art and the ways in which they do. The expansion of my experiences with art has given me many methods and ideas to work with in my own writing. As a person, I have learned to be more open minded in facing everyday tasks and more responsible for my actions, as what I do or fail to do in Elan can reflect directly into the production of any book or event. I also learned to be more organized in general. I can quickly find ways to make tasks more effective in their methods of execution. Teamwork has been the most useful skill I have acquired overall, however. I have learned how to reach compromises in disagreements and how to rely on others while they rely on me.
In the future, I believe Elan will allow me to become a fully developed leader. Whether I join another literary magazine staff or a debate club, I feel that I will be able to possess a sense of responsibility and leadership that others may not have had experience with yet. What I hope to further gain from this experience is the ability to push. I find that my personality does not allow me to take the place of a more dominant figure that can take charge in any situation. I can lead those who may not know where to go, but I am not yet certain on my ability to take charge of a situation that requires I reach out to people who may not want my input, no matter whether or not it is needed. I would like to change that this year, as the ability to assert insightful dominance into a situation is a skill that I can use in any area of my life to increase the ease in which objectives are accomplished.
Seeing as I am a senior this year, I also have a junior art editor that I am mentoring to fit my role next year. So far, we have gone over the basics of the position and I believe she already knows a lot about all the participation the position calls for. However, I’d also like to guide her to learn as much as I have in Elan as an artist and an individual. Over the course of the year, I want to teach her how to take leadership of the role on her own and how to confidently make the right decisions in the movement of the magazine. In addition, I can only hope that the exposure to new art that Elan poses will also inspire her to create all kinds of new things that she might not have ever been able to consider otherwise.
- Kathryn Wallis, Senior Art Editor