Senior Audrey Ortiz, an Art History and German concentrator, has really taken advantage of all Colgate has to offer. Between her academics and extracurricular activities, Ortiz has been able to pursue her love of art and explore new interests.

Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Ortiz made the move to the East Coast because she wanted to move away from home and try something new. Right away, Ortiz knew that she wanted to study Art History.

“I love studying art, culture, ideas and society. Art History is also very much tied to history and religion so I have been able to learn a lot about those disciplines through my studies,” Ortiz said.

On the other hand, Ortiz stumbled upon her love for German. Knowing that she wanted to study a language, Ortiz thought that German would be useful for her Art History studies. With her German concentration, Audrey was able to go on Colgate’s Freiburg, Germany study group, and enroll in classes at the University of Freiburg. She had the opportunity to travel around

Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

Ortiz has participated in a great range of extracurriculars. In the past, she has worked for the Athletic Communications Department and the Picker Art Gallery, under the director and curator. Currently, she holds a position at the Visual Resources Library. Ortiz has also hosted a radio show for WRCU and volunteered as a tutor for Morrisville Eaton and Hamilton Central students.

During her time off campus, Ortiz continued to find interesting ways to enrich her college experience. She has spent her breaks at a law firm in Minneapolis, an art gallery in New York City and the Minneapolis Museum of Art.

As graduation continues to creep up, Ortiz has been reflecting on her time her at Colgate.

“One of the things I’ll miss most is the endless resources and support systems that I have at my disposal on campus. At Colgate I am able to see world-renowned lecturers for free and do incredible programs like Yes Means Yes. We also have professors who actually know our names and want to help us succeed,” Ortiz said.

Looking back, Ortiz’s advice to any Colgate student is to be utterly true to who you are and make the most of your experience here.

“I know that that is much easier said than done, but if you have an idea of what makes you laugh, what makes you smile, what kind of people you want to be around, what subjects you feel like you have to learn more about, just go for it. Don’t worry if that’s not what you’re supposed to do,” Ortiz said.