LICENSURE & ENDORSEMENTS

Illinois State Board of Education

PK-12 Visual Arts Professional Educator License

Expected May 2026

ILTS Visual Arts Content Art Test 214 

Taken and Passed in April 2025

edTPA in Visual Arts

To be submitted in April 2026

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Student Teacher, Elementary Art

IRMA C. RUIZ ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS                                                              

March - May 2026

• Observed PK-8 art teacher Kathryn Jochaniewicz’s classroom in September of 2025 during SAIC Practicum course.

• Operated as a student teacher for seven weeks, during SAIC Apprentice Teaching course, from March 16 to May 8, 2026.

• Instructed in English and Spanish to support ELLs and designed differentiated support for students with accommodations. for students with accommodations.

• Collaborated with my mentor teacher to develop lesson units and plans that fit into her year-long plan, and scaffolded off students’ previous knowledge.

Student Teacher, Secondary Art

KELVYN PARK JUNIOR AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS        

January - March 2026

• Observed 9-12 art teacher Meredith Kachel’s classroom in October and November of 2025 during SAIC Practicum course.

• Operated as a student teacher for seven weeks, during SAIC Apprentice Teaching course, from January 20 to March 6, 2026.

• Instructed in English and Spanish to support ELLs and designed differentiated support for students with accommodations. for students with accommodations.

• Collaborated with my mentor teacher to develop lesson units and plans that fit into her year-long plan, and scaffolded off students’ previous knowledge.

Research Assistant, Justice Oriented Learning Ecologies

ART EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, SCHOOL OF THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO                                      

August 2025 - Ongoing

• Transcribed, reviewed, and notated recorded footage across four years of classroom data.

• Chose and analyzed excerpts of video and audio data for use as a pedagogical tool for future art educators.

• Co-developed engagement guides to facilitate learning with video and audio data.

• Completed CITI Program training course for Social and Behavior Research in September of 2025.

Teaching Assistant

CONTINUING STUDIES, SCHOOL OF THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO                                                  

June - August 2025

• Mentored Chicago-based students in the Early College Program and the Middle School Program.

• Helped facilitate classroom critiques and discussions.

• Demonstrated materials and techniques, and aided in the development of classroom culture over two-week camps.

Student Peer Mentor

ACADEMIC SPINE DEPARTMENT, SCHOOL OF THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO                                     

January - May 2025

• Served as a teaching assistant for Sophomore Seminar class offering “Clay as Chameleon” with Emily Willis.

• Offered advice and critique to develop younger peers’ art practices and studio habits.

• Presented an artist talk to showcase my own art produced during my first two years at SAIC.

Woodshop Department Assistant

280 COLUMBUS WOODSHOP, SCHOOL OF THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO                                                 

2023 - 2024

• Demonstrated machinery and helped students with their own projects in the shop.

• Responsible for student and faculty tool checkout and its return.

• Developed proficiency in hand tools, mechanical saws, planers, jointers, routers and sanders.

Student Gallery Assistant

33 E. WASHINGTON GALLERIES, SCHOOL OF THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO                                        

2023 - 2024

• Developed proficiency in both installation and deinstallation of artwork, including setting up new media, handling lighting, and gallery preparations.

• Trained to carefully handle professional artist work that's both traditional and virtual.

• Monitored visitors to the gallery to ensure pieces are well cared for and accounted for.

Art Teacher

STUDIO ARTS DALLAS                                                       

2018 - 2024

• Taught illustration, drawing and painting classes, and hand-built and wheel-thrown ceramic camps.

• Inspired students and assisted in developing creativity and self-expression through various art forms and media.

• Developed and implemented various thematic lesson plans, utilizing age-appropriate material and focusing on relevant topics.

• Guided and worked with middle school and high school students to develop their portfolios for art universities, schools, and programs.

• Maintained communication with student caregivers, and helped with class registration and the training of new teachers and teaching assistants.

• Served students from 5 years old to adults in their 60's.

• Operated low-fire ceramic kilns for the whole studio for 4 years.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education, School of the Art Institute of Chicago - Chicago, IL 

Expected May 2026

Creative Honors Merit Scholarship 

Dean's List of Outstanding Sophomores

High School Diploma, Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts - Dallas, TX                        

June 2022

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

2026 Arts Education Conference, Chicago Public Schools, Department of Arts Education

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

Pedagogical Witnessing: Learning to See Interactional & Relational Complexity. Morales, M., Vitale, I., Vossoughi, S., and James Harris, J., Paper presentation at the 2026 National Art Education Association Conference. Chicago, IL

EXHIBITIONS

SAIC Undergraduate Exhibition, 33 East Washington Street, Chicago, IL, November 7 - 19 2025

Call me when you’re home, SAIC Incubator, Neiman Center, 37 South Wabash Street, Chicago, IL, May 1 - 21 2025

Dovetail, Gallery 1922, 280 Columbus Dr, SAIC, Chicago, IL, February 20 - March 1, 2025

ArtBash: Black Box, Book Arts and Open Exhibition, Neiman Center, SAIC, Chicago, IL, March - April 2023

Senior Show: Lost and Found, Hudson Foundation Gallery, Booker T. Washington, Dallas, TX,  March - April 2022

New Works, Hudson Foundation Gallery, Booker T. Washington, Dallas, TX,  October of 2019, 2020 and 2021

NAHS Member Exhibit, Hudson Foundation Gallery, Booker T. Washington, Dallas, TX, December of 2019, 2020 and 2021

Booker T at THE MIX, Creative Space, Dallas, TX, April 2021

Son of A Butcher Restaurant Mural, Lower Greenville, Dallas, TX, January 2021 

Youth Art Month Exhibit, Dallas Contemporary, Spring 2020 

Student Exhibit, STREAM Realty, Trammell Crow Center, Dallas, TX, September 2019- May 2020 

SKILLS

• B1 Level of Spanish Language on the CEFR Scale

• Handbuilt and Wheel Thrown Ceramics and Electric Kiln Operation

• Etching, Photo-Plate Lithography, and Relief Printmaking

• Adobe Suite (Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Lightroom, Illustrator, InDesign and Audition)

• Woodworking with power tools and hand tools

• Sewing by Machine and Hand, Crochet, Knitting, and Weaving

• Blender and Tinkercad

• Gallery and Exhibit Preparation

• Painting and Drawing

• Google Suite

REFERENCES

Dr. Melita Morales, Assistant Professor & MAT Program Director, School of the Art Institute of Chicago ‍

Juarez Hawkins, Faculty Supervisor & Lecturer, School of the Art Institute of Chicago ‍

Meredith Kachel, Art Teacher & Arts Department Head, Kelvyn Park High School, Chicago Public Schools

Kathryn Jochaniewicz, Art Teacher, Irma C. Ruiz Elementary, Chicago Public Schools