Kan Du internship
11/18/2022
As a pre-art therapy major, Adrianna Ruiz Suarez combines two of her passions鈥攁rt and psychology.
鈥楲ife changing鈥 internship experience
Adrianny Ruiz Suarez 鈥24 came to Bluffton as an art and writing major but quickly found her fit as a pre-art therapy major with a photography minor instead.
鈥淚 realized my passion was helping people,鈥 said Ruiz Suarez, of Columbus, Ohio. 鈥淚 think that art is a medium that is not used enough for helping people be able to express themselves and open up.鈥
She is currently completing a psychology internship at Kan Du studio in Findlay, Ohio, where she helps people with a range of physical and cognitive disabilities create art.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been great. Honestly, it鈥檚 so much different to do something than to learn about it,鈥 said Ruiz Suarez. 鈥淚鈥檓 hoping to do another internship next semester to get even more experience. It鈥檚 been life changing for me.鈥
During the internship, Ruiz Suarez learns more about each person while explaining different art techniques such as shading.
鈥淪ometimes making stuff is a better way to express how you鈥檙e feeling rather than talking about it,鈥 said Ruiz Suarez. 鈥淪o, I think it鈥檚 something that is very useful for many different types of people, including non-verbal people.鈥
Her major now includes two of her passions鈥攁rt and psychology鈥攁nd she鈥檚 seen the benefits of pre-art therapy in herself.
鈥淎rt has always made me feel better,鈥 said Ruiz Suarez. 鈥淲hen I鈥檓 making things or actively working on something, the art gives me purpose.鈥
Ruiz Suarez is very active outside of her internship and the classroom. She works in the library as a student assistant, is a C. Henry Smith Scholar and was Margot Frank in the fall play, 鈥淭he Diary of Anne Frank.鈥
She鈥檚 also involved in Social Work Club, Spiritual Life Week committee, Beaver Monologues committee, Brave Space, Camerata Singers, University Chorale, Bridge, SERVE and Anime Club.
鈥淚 really liked that Bluffton was a smaller campus,鈥 said Ruiz Suarez. 鈥淚鈥檓 from a fairly large place with a big graduating class, so it was overwhelming, and I never felt at home. I felt Bluffton would feel very much like a home.鈥