Jennifer Fallon
Jennifer Fallon is a Fine Art major at Saginaw Valley State University with a concentration in photography. She is in the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Program, which, upon acceptance, requires a strong portfolio that showcases the students’ best work after completion of the core and foundation classes in their degree program. The program challenges students and helps to prepare them for a career in art after graduation. “Ideally, in the future, I would like to run my own photography studio, where I can use my talents and visions to fuse the fine art aspects of photography with the commercial to best fulfill the needs of my clients.”
Much of Jennifer’s decision to enroll at SVSU was driven by her love for art and a recommendation from someone who completed their BFA at SVSU. “I also chose SVSU for its convenient location near my home as well as the cost effectiveness of its programs.” One aspect of the department that Jennifer noted was the small class size, which enables students to fully benefit through one-on-one teacher interaction. In addition, “I love that you develop close friendships and acquaintances through interactions over the course of each semester. It is nice to be able to discuss what I am working on and get feedback from other students that will give me insight and help me to grow as an artist.”
In response to the art faculty at SVSU, Jennifer speaks highly of their availability and willingness to give constructive criticism and answer questions.“ Professor Kihata and Professor Zivich are two professors who have helped me immensely to grow and to become a better artist both technically and conceptually. They are very thorough and always encourage us, as students, to challenge ourselves and to not accept anything less than our personal best. In addition, they are always there to meet with and to help me to focus my thoughts and the purpose of my work.”
“The best thing about the program, in my opinion, is that I have learned to speak about art. I have learned how to discuss my art and to explain it to other people, and though I am continually learning, I am now able to make more educated speculations about the purpose behind others’ artwork as well. For me, this is a huge accomplishment and something that I will continue to cultivate throughout my lifetime and career, as it is such an important skill to possess. The Art Faculty makes this a high priority along with many other life skills.”