The Newbury Center Spring 2021 Art Contest

For the first-ever Newbury Center Art Competition, students were asked to submit an original piece of art that depicted what it means to be a first-generation college student here at Boston University. The center received five amazing submissions; while it was only possible to pick three winners, the two wonderful honorable mentions will also be displayed in the center!

Winners:

1. First Place Submission:

1st place submission to the Newbury Center Art Contest

This beautiful and expressive piece by Tammy Dong won first place in the art competition! Tammy is an undergraduate student in the College of Arts and Sciences, studying International Relations.

Tammy’s description of her piece:

“I hope this image will remind all the students who are the first in their family to go to college that they are not alone. Sometimes, being a first generation college student can be stressful and challenging. Growing up, my father always told me that studying well in college is the only way I can get a better life. College never felt like an option, but more so a necessity, and now that I am in college I do often feel lost and pressured. When I am experiencing these challenges, it really helps me to remind myself that I am not alone. Therefore, I hope that this artwork can bring comfort to others too and remind us that we are not struggling alone: We are all working hard towards our dreams. We are not alone. We have each other.”

2. Second Place Submission:

2nd place submission to the Newbury Center Spring 2021 Art Contest

This beautiful (and adorable) photo by Anastasiia Arbuzova earned a second-place spot in the art competition! Anastasiia is a graduate student pursuing her PhD in Economics.

Anastasiia’s description of her piece:

“I grew up in a small town 100 km away from Moscow, Russia. My parents own a country house where I spent every single summer since I was born. This photo was taken a month before I moved to Boston. It’s a first photo of my parents’ dog – a young and curious child who will spend these long summer days in our country house. She reminds me of myself: in her eyes I read excitement about what has yet to come and readiness to explore. For me, to be a first-generation student at BU means to open up to opportunities I never knew I had, to feel joy from studying the world’s puzzles, to share my vision and my culture as well as learn from others.”

3. Third Place Submission:

3rd place submission to the art contest

This inspiring photo submitted by Hector Grande, called “Highs and Lows,” came in third place! Hector is a graduate student in the College of Engineering studying Materials Science and Engineering.

Hector’s description of his piece:

“As any first-generation college student would tell you, it is not the easiest path to traverse. There will be days when it is extremely rough and there will be a lot of learning in these instances. However, and fortunately, days do get better and the work in equals the work-out. All the effort and struggles do end up paying off. Mountains are extremely tough to climb but the reward of seeing where you’ve made it and everything you’ve done makes it worth it. — Being a first-generation grad student at BU is pretty tough, but I am extremely grateful for the resources that are shared with us. From study spaces to great mentors, I think The Newbury Center and BU are providing a great framework for first-generation students to both compete and succeed.”

Honorable Mentions: 

Honorable Mention 1: 

honorable mention submission #1

This piece by student Aston Tan is very striking and thought-provoking. Aston is an undergraduate student in Questrom studying Business Administration, with concentrations in Management Information Systems and Strategy.

Aston’s description of his piece:

“My father held a strong sentiment for cards. I lost him in my senior year of high-school and recently, I decided to draw these cards to remember him by. I added my own personal twist to the conventional playing cards, drawing them in a personal style. These cards are reminders to myself: that I should be willing to take risks, and that life is ultimately a game of luck.

Both my parents had harsh lives growing up, having to work tremendously hard to be able to provide my sister and I with the opportunities to attend prestigious university institutions. Being a first-generation college student simply reminds me of the efforts my parents put in, and how privileged I am to be able to pursue things that I am passionate about. I’m put in a position that allows for me to grow beyond their expectations, as long as I remain tenacious and hard working.”

Honorable Mention 2: 

honorable mention submission #2 art contest

This piece by student Paul Hee is colorful and carries an important message. Paul is an undergraduate student in the College of Arts and Sciences studying Cell Biology, Molecular Biology & Genetics (CMG).

Paul’s description of his piece:

“For me it was about opportunity and it’s challenges. Being a first generation college student meant being sent over 2k miles away in an environment I wasn’t used to. So naturally it was terrifying, eccentric and somewhat chaotic. When I began this piece I immediately thought of the soldiers on D-day scared for the future and failure, following orders with an unconvincing tone . While this is no positive connotation success is survival and the opportunity that I am here at BU is something I don’t think I would have foreseen 4 years ago as a freshman in high school. So this piece is a representation of my emotions the first day I set on campus.”