Claire Pandaleon came to Colgate from Lake Forest, Illinois, a suburb north of Chicago. Wanting to explore a different area of the United States, Pandaleon found Colgate and instantly fell in love.

“I gravitated towards liberal arts schools, liking the small class sizes and freedom to explore various disciplines. Colgate was one of the first schools I visited and I instantly fell in love with the campus and the people, despite it snowing during my tour in April. I applied early decision and was waitlisted not one, but three times. I received a phone call from Gary Ross long after my high school graduation informing me that I had been accepted and I was ecstatic,” Pandaleon said.

Pandaleon is an art history major and a museum studies minor. Pandaleon has loved art her entire life. Pandaleon was initially hesitant to pursue it as a major and chose to keep it as a side interest, but after taking several art history courses, she was hooked.

“I remember asking Professor Carolyn Guile, who is now my advisor, what I could possibly do with a degree in art history. She overwhelmed me with options from working in museums, to getting a PhD, to art consulting and auctioneering. I was thoroughly convinced and chose to take a leap of faith, focusing on what I really loved and was good at,” Pandaleon said.

Pandaleon spent last summer working as an Individual Development Intern at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, where she assisted in planning and executing seasonal events for two of the Guggenheim’s highest membership groups.

On campus, Pandaleon is involved at the Picker Art Gallery as the Assistant to the Director of University Museums. Currently, she is organizing the Summer 2018 exhibition featuring works from the personal art collections of four Colgate alumni.

“[Working at Picker] has been so fun and wildly rewarding as it has given me hands-on experience in nearly every facet of museum work. From marketing, to research, to working with collectors and artists, I’ve done a little bit of everything,” Pandaleon said.

When asked what advice she has for underclassman, Pandaleon recommended that any underclassman pursue the academic subject matter they are authentically passionate about. Ultimately, she hopes students will find meaning in practicing what they care about around campus, as she has exemplified in her passion for art and art history.

Contact Tessa Ruff at [email protected].