Transferring to Whitman as a Non-Traditional Art Major
By Melissa Castro ’27
For my Beginning Painting midterm, we were tasked to add to our portfolio a still life piece. It’s really exciting to be taught by incredible artists and professors.
Hello! I’m Melissa Castro (she/her). I’m a transfer student from Kennewick, Washington. I took a year off when I moved to Walla Walla to work on my art portfolio since I always knew I wanted to continue my education. I wanted to stay close, so I applied to Whitman. Campus is only a 10-minute bike ride from my house! Students are known for being heavily involved in the local Walla Walla community and I knew that going to Whitman could help me find opportunities to grow as a professional artist here in my beautiful town.
Ever since I was a kid, painting and drawing were my favorite hobbies to get lost in. It was a hobby I never let go of. Finding balance in line and color, drawing the human form and cultural representation all flourished my passion for creating. Art helped me find my voice! After taking my first art class in college, I realized it was something I could make into a career.
Before coming to Whitman, I spent a year working full-time. After work, I consistently created art so I could have a strong portfolio for my Whitman application. Betting on myself really paid off because not only was I admitted, but I was also awarded the Fine Arts Talent Scholarship! The scholarship honors students who demonstrate art skills and potential. I was lucky enough to be selected.
Being 29 and a first-generation college student, I felt a little intimidated by the thought of attending a private liberal arts school. I worried that I would stick out on campus. However, in my first semester, I had the opportunity to have my work displayed in the Transfer Student Art Exhibition in our Fouts Center for Visual Arts, where I met other transfer students majoring in Fine Art. I met new friends who were around my age and who also transferred to Whitman from other colleges! We talked about our unique perspectives in the classroom as older students and how different things used to be “back in the day” when we went to high school. Apparently, the time has come for us Millennials to reminisce over our youth! I no longer felt like the only older student on campus. Seeing non-traditional students like me being celebrated at Whitman was a great experience. I felt so seen!
Here is a close-up of two of my illustrations that I submitted for my Admission portfolio. They were displayed along with the rest of my collection in the campus showcase.
For the exhibition, I submitted a lot of my portfolio work. I created these pieces while I was working full-time and imagining becoming a student at Whitman. Now they were displayed for all to see on the campus that I had long hoped to join. I work a lot with digital 3D illustrations. I use software where I manipulate objects in a 3D space and use lighting and texturing to sculpt characters and scenes. Seeing my work displayed at a gallery on campus felt amazing! I could see the physical manifestation of my hard work hanging proudly in an exhibition. I was able to share my voice and vision with students and staff.
On the left: Our art technician printed out this postcard for the exhibition, which I kept as a nice souvenir of my first Whitman show. On the right: The clown illustration was another piece I worked on before attending Whitman for my Admission portfolio.
As an Art major, I wanted to get my hands on all the different types of media that Whitman has to offer. I expected to be able to completely immerse myself in my creativity, and since Fouts is open all day, I was able to spend as much time as I wanted in the art studios.
I experienced much more than simply making art. My professors challenged me to think beyond the aesthetic. It was a push towards a new direction for me artistically. Like in my sculpture class, part of what I learned is how the meaning lies in the material you use. In my bookmaking class, I learned of the democratic power of disseminating art and in my darkroom processes class, I learned about the importance of archival intelligence and centering marginalized voices, reading between the lines, critical awareness of bias and uncovering hidden histories. I’m grateful for the new perspectives my classes here at Whitman have shown me and feel like I’m evolving and growing into a new scholarly version of myself as an artist.
On the left: In my bookmaking class, I learned how to screenprint for the first time! This is my Zine that represents the lives of immigrant farm workers. On the right: A crying clown sculpture I made out of clay and barbed wire. The inside is filled with aluminum foil, which I covered in low-fire clay. I wasn’t able to fire the piece, so I air-dried it, causing it to crack all over. It’s still in one piece and sits on my windowsill at home.
At the end of the semester, I had the opportunity to submit my newly created art at Whitman’s 17th annual Juried Student Art Salon. It was amazing seeing my pieces displayed next to so much incredible talent! I hope to have something really special next year for my senior thesis.
Having multiple opportunities to have my work displayed on campus motivates me to keep creating art so I can continue sharing my work in exhibitions. It’s like a form of exposure therapy so I can lose my nervous jitters when I think about having my art displayed. It’s not something to stress about. It’s actually really enjoyable to be celebrated and now I hope one day to have a solo exhibition. With my newfound confidence, I made a new goal for the year: to paint one mural!
I’m taking more steps towards getting out of my comfort zone as an artist. I applied for an illustrator job in the Office of Communication. The job works around my class schedule so I get to choose what hours work best for me, and I get to work on projects that directly involve my art degree. I’m also taking on independent and collaborative projects where I get to flex my art abilities and garner skills to work collaboratively with other professionals in the office. Right now, I’m working with my fellow intern to brainstorm and design ideas for the Unofficial Guide to Whitman College that is published for and shared with new incoming students. You might have seen us tabling at Cleveland Commons, asking students for quotes and giving out prizes for participating.
This has all happened in my first two semesters at Whitman. There’s been so much to see and do on campus. I feel more seen and heard as a non-traditional transfer student every day. I’m coming more and more out of my shell and making new friends with whom I have a lot in common, even though I’m a non-traditional student. I’m taking classes that not only fulfill my degree needs but also challenge me to think in a scholarly way and give me the tools I need to be a well-informed and inspiring artist. I’ve even had the opportunity to start working on campus and get a head start on building my professional skills before graduation. The community at Whitman is something I wish every artist had the chance to experience. I have a great feeling about this semester and all that has yet to come! Thank you, Whitman!
Melissa Castro ’27 (she/her) is an Art major from Kennewick, Washington. In addition to painting, sculpting and 3D illustrations, she is also a talented photographer and can be seen snapping photos all across campus.
Transfer Students Thrive at Whitman!
Transfer students bring unique perspectives, fresh ideas and vibrant creativity to campus. From the moment they arrive, they are ready to explore and our campus community is eager to show them around. Get helpful tips and learn more about transferring to Whitman.