Undergraduate student Melina Testin was awarded an ASPIRE Scholarship! An initiative of The Center for Experiential Learning, the All Students Prosper If Resources Exist, or ASPIRE, Scholarship provides funding to undergraduate students with unpaid internships, allowing them to prioritize professional experiences. 

At the Smithsonian Affiliated National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library (NCSML) in Cedar Rapids, IA, Testin worked as a content creator and exhibit docent for the exhibit Artists as Activists. Artists as Activists is a modern art exhibit featuring work from a wide variety of global artists such as David Černý and Ai Weiwei. Testin wrote articles and created original artwork for the NCSML blog to promote the exhibit and worked to engage with visitors in the exhibit. This was Testin’s second year working with the NCSML. The previous summer, she worked as a resident artist, helping guests paint a replica of the Berlin Wall to celebrate the 30-year anniversary of its fall.

Testin is a sophomore from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, majoring in History and minoring in Business. Melina enjoys using her artistic talents to express her passion for history. From creating a mural for the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art to presenting on the importance of cartoons in history at the National High School Journalism Convention in Chicago, and drawing history comics for the blog she kept for her Public History class, Testin’s gifts have helped expand the historical community at home, in Chicago, and in the Loyola classroom. At Loyola, Testin is active in History Club, Loyola AIGA, Diminuendo, Christian Life Community, Studio Art Club, and is currently coordinating a Provost Research Fellowship with the History Department. She plans to use her degree and experiences to pursue a career as a museum curator.

25 November 2020