<p>I am a high school junior and I'm interested in studying art history/social sciences in college with the ambition of eventually making curatorial work/arts administration my career. For a while, I've been researching Wesleyan and Williams. I've fallen in love with the art history program at Williams, and the fact that the college routinely sets up students with paid internships, curatorial jobs at the Clarke gallery, and the location in close proximity to Mass MOCA are all huge pluses. Not to mention that Williams alumni are in high level administration positions at a huge number of leading contemporary art institutions nation-wide. </p>
<p>My concern with Williams is the reputation it also has for being a jock school, on some accounts homophobic, and not as liberal as most of its other North East liberal arts schools. I am not athletic, I'm bi, and most people would describe me as pretty artsy. Additionally, I'm very very liberal, and while I do not want to attend college with only people who share my views, I do want to attend a college where heteronormativity and white privilege aren't issues that are simply left unaddressed. It seems Wesleyan does an exceedingly good job at this and is a total fit for my personality. </p>
<p>So my question is: can anyone compare/contrast the art history programs at Wesleyan and Williams? Is Wesleyan's program even close to as strong as Williams', and are comparable internships/career opportunities offered by Wesleyan? </p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>This issue has been addressed elsewhere on CC, as I recall. From what I can remember, your impression of Williams as a “jock school” and “homophobic” is overblown and outdated. I suggest you visit the campus when classes are in session, preferably at a time when you can spend a night on campus. You might want to check this link from Williams for more information–it is the Williams Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Network. Best wishes to you in your college exploration! <a href=“http://www.williamsbiglata.org/[/url]”>http://www.williamsbiglata.org/</a></p>
<p>I would echo what Morganhil is saying; I think you are getting some extraordinarily frank and honest feedback on the Williams forum itself.
That being said, Art History includes some of the most popular courses at Wesleyan: [Wesleyan</a> Art & Art History](<a href=“http://www.wesleyan.edu/art/]Wesleyan”>Welcome, Art & Art History - Wesleyan University). And, while Wesleyan may not have an “art history mafia”, it does have at least one highly successful alumnus in the museum and gallery world: Jeffrey Deitch, `73, Director of LA’s Museum of Contemporary Art (LAMOCA.) </p>
<p>Training in exhibition development is available through several venues, including a program in the East Asian Studies department: [Curatorial</a> Assistant Program, Mansfield Freeman Center - Wesleyan University](<a href=“http://www.wesleyan.edu/mansfield/exhibitions/caprogram.html]Curatorial”>http://www.wesleyan.edu/mansfield/exhibitions/caprogram.html)
And, there’s a little known internship right on campus with the Davison Art Center: [Wesleyan:</a> DAC: Jim Dine Curatorial Internship](<a href=“http://www.wesleyan.edu/dac/educ/student_interns_dine.html]Wesleyan:”>http://www.wesleyan.edu/dac/educ/student_interns_dine.html). It may not be in the same league as the Clark, but the Davison Print Collection is widely regarded as one of the finest in the United States.</p>
<p>Thanks! That is very valuable information.</p>
<p>Wow, I remember Jeff Deitch from the days when I was at Wesleyan. A very cool guy and great to see what he is doing these days!</p>