The Art of Asking
It really is a miracle that the Fine Arts department has not asked for a restraining order for me yet. With the amount if times that Dr. Martin and Dr. Bicak have had to deal with me stopping by and asking questions, I wouldn’t blame them. However, luckily for me these professors are more than willing to help someone like myself with a bit of an unorthodox undertaking. I mentioned in my first post that I am minoring in Art History—“hopefully.” I say hopefully because Rockhurst technically does not offer an Art History minor, only an Art minor. But the school does offer enough Art History classes for an art lover like myself to get hooked on the subject and want to pursue it further. It seemed like something that would fit nicely with my other majors, especially the idea of potentially tying writing and art together as an art critic. So, after taking just about every Art History course Rockhurst offers (Integrated Humanities, Art History I, Art in the Galleries, and Non-Western Art), I started asking around to see if there was any way I could create my own minor. I was sent to speak with Dr. Bicak, who was the head of the Fine Arts department at the time, and he was very enthusiastic and optimistic about this project. We came up with a plan that involves me taking some classes at UMKC or the Art Institute through the KCASE program, taking some Art History when I study abroad next year (hopefully in Prague), and potentially doing an independent study (see the links below for more information on some of these programs Rockhurst offers). Although I am still waiting to see if everything is going to work out with all of these options, I am excited about the possibilities and grateful that Dr. Bicak and my advisor Dr. Martin were willing to spend so much time scouring the course catalog with me and talking to other faculty members and administrators on my behalf. Professors that have the availability and inclination to help students like me seem to be one of the benefits of a small school like Rockhurst. And I am learning that sometimes if you ask (and ask, and ask, and ask) you can create a pretty good shot at receiving. 
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