SMU Niemi Center Engages Business Students in Meaningful Research

Based in Texas, Zoe Reardon was awarded a four-year, merit-based scholarship to study business and world languages at Southern Methodist University (SMU). A member of SMU’s Alpha Lambda Delta honor society, Zoe Reardon also serves as a peer academic leader.

SMU, a private research university in Dallas, is home to the Edwin L. Cox School of Business and a variety of centers and institutes that advance business education. One of these institutions is the Niemi Center, which was named in honor of Dean Albert W. Niemi, a man who served as an administrator and professor at the Cox School for 20 years.

Providing an educational foundation in American capitalism, courses at the Niemi Center also teach how the dynamics of capitalism are changing. In addition to academic courses, the Niemi Center offers undergraduate and graduate students the chance to participate in meaningful research fellowships to promote positive change in the world.

Atlanta International School Offers Music Lessons after School

A student at Southern Methodist University (SMU), Zoe Reardon is pursuing a double major in business and world languages. Previously, Zoe Reardon graduated from the Atlanta International School (AIS), where she completed an International Baccalaureate diploma.

AIS, a private school in Atlanta that includes primary, middle, and upper grades, takes a comprehensive and global approach to education. In addition to foreign language classes and international travel opportunities, AIS cultivates the artistic and creative side of students through an after-school music program.

For more than 10 years, AIS has offered independent music lessons outside the regular school day. Lessons are taught by qualified and experienced music instructors and offered to all interested students.

The school also has several musical ensembles, including the Upper School Band and Orchestra, the Middle School Band and Orchestra, and Primary School Strings. All students participating in the orchestras are encouraged to take private lessons in the after-school program.

Why Does Abstract Art Make Some People So Uncomfortable?

An undergraduate student at Southern Methodist University, Zoe Reardon divides her time between academic responsibilities and professional experience as a summer theater instructor and business analyst for The Alliance Theater camps in Georgia. Passionate about photography and other creative pursuits, Zoe Reardon is the daughter of an abstract artist.

Due to humans’ natural penchant for solving problems, viewing abstract art can often be a challenge. This is because abstract art does not tell a particular story to viewers. It does not always have a meaning or narrative, and is often open for interpretation. Because of their inability to find a tangible meaning in abstract art, many viewers will instead avoid such artwork, or claim that it is simple to recreate.

However, despite having no narrative, abstract art does not lack a purpose. The point of abstract art is to encourage imagination and involvement among its viewers. Rather than creating a shareable experience, it strives to create an emotional experience for viewers that varies depending on each person’s state of mind and personality. For many, embracing this emotional experience is difficult and may even feel threatening to them, thus furthering their avoidance.

When viewing abstract art, it’s essential that individuals leave themselves open to the experience. Since there are no recognizable objects in an abstract piece, viewers need not worry about what other people around them are seeing. Rather, they should only focus on their own personal meaning and appreciate the artwork for how it affects them personally.