Hi everybody!I have come to realize that one of the most valuable resources I discovered during the application process to Penn was having had the opportunity to talk/meet other students that were Penn students at the time. There are so many different types of people, with different backgrounds, interests, and stories that it is impossible to find someone that was in exactly the same situation you are in when thinking about applying. However, I believe that the more you understand what Penn students do on campus, their clubs and activities, the easier it is to visualize what opportunities you would have here. This is why I decided to try interviewing some of my peers, so that you get a clearer understanding of the diversity of things that happen at Penn every day.
This time I’m featuring Ana Beatriz Valente, or Tize, a Brazilian junior in the College who’s majoring in Fine Arts and in Architecture. She’s one of the most creative, unique individuals I’ve encountered at Penn, and her art has been exhibited in the MOMA in New York! Here are some fun facts about her!
- If you could live in any era, what would it be?
- The Elizabethan era, if I get to be Elizabeth
- Favorite sport?
- Horseback riding
- Background of your computer?
- I can’t even see it because of all the files and photos I have on my desktop, but its one of my art projects
- Favorite place on campus?
- Levin Building and the Biopond
- Hidden talent?
- Reading in between the lines
- Favorite snack?
- Chocolate chip cookies
- Is there anything you haven’t done at Penn that you would like to do?
- I would like do an art installation on College Green.
- One random fact?
- I’ve hiked the Andes – best experience of my life!
9. What would you tell a soon-to-be-freshman?
Dear soon-to-be-freshman,
My name is Ana Beatriz and I am from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I am currently in my Junior year, studying Fine Arts and Architecture. Being creative empowers me to interpret and reinterpret the world around me. In my imagination, I draw on diverse disciplines – from Fine Arts to Physics– so I can use and combine them in interesting ways. Some of my explorations include using the kinetic energy of a car windshield wiper to paint watercolor on canvas with an array of brushes, designing a set for a children’s play that imitates a Junie B. Jones’ diary and winning the Sarah Decker award for revolutionizing printmaking by printing and painting with bananas.
My most recent challenge was working with graduate level students in the areas of Bioengineering and Integrated Product Design in an interdisciplinary project, where I used art and biological design to aid in the treatment of mental illness. I envisioned a pen that senses change in galvanic skin responses in accordance with the emotional stability of patients with bipolar disorder, and displays the visualization of change through a change in ink color. This project demanded determination, communication and discipline, and was chosen to represent Penn in the BioDesign Summit at the MoMA in New York City. It taught me how to combine different perspectives and ideas and to communicate with different audiences, from Penn faculty, doctors and scientists to patients.
When I was standing where you are now, I never imagined Penn could give me so much, and most importantly, I was not aware of all I could give back. I think one of the most most special things about Penn is the opportunities available, so I urge you to explore all of them, regardless of the field they are in, and even the ones you would typically not be interested in – you might find out a few things about yourself in the process. I believe a successful education is not constrained to the classroom and depends on full immersion, so I beg of you to jump into this experience with an open heart and an open mind, and allow Penn to happen to you.
See you soon,
Tize
