Jacqueline Myers

Student

“I did what I set out to do. I learned the culture, the people, a way of life. And I try to apply the experience to everything.”

Jackie Myers is carrying a stack of library books with photographs of trees. “Right now I’m working on this tree,” says the art history major who spends much of her free time painting landscapes. “I’ve always like trees,” says Jackie. “Even now, I like to climb them, and I dream about them a lot.”

Jackie, who would like to become a professional artist, describes her current painting style as “Expressionist with a Van Gogh-ish quality.” And she credits a visit to the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam to this new artistic exploration of hers.

The Van Gogh was just one of the many museums she visited during her stay in Europe as part of SMC’s Study Abroad Program last fall. With enthusiasm she remembers, “I learned so much just from the museums. We had some really great field trips.”

Jackie’s learning experiences didn’t stop at museums, even though her friends literally had to drag her out of some because she couldn’t get enough of the original art. “Going on this trip made me appreciate people from other countries,” says Jackie, “as well as making me appreciate my own country. When I came back I was much happier with where I’m at and where I live.”

Right now, Jackie is very directed in her studies and will transfer to UCLA this fall. Reflecting on her success at SMC compared to some harder times in high school, Jackie adds, “I turned it around to become responsible and work with society instead of against it.”

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