By: Em Acuña
Honors College alumna, Samantha Oleschuk ’24, has been working as the co-director/director of community engagement at the Florence Thomas Art School (FTAS) in West Jefferson, NC, since June of 2024. In the Spring of 2024, Oleschuk graduated from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor of Arts in art and visual culture with a concentration in art management and with minors in nonprofit organizations and French and francophone studies. Her thesis, “Sharing the Creative Aging Impact Story: Navigating Barriers, Pursuing Sustainability, and Dreaming into the Future,” was directed by Jody Servon, professor in the Department of Art. Shauna Caldwell, associate curator for academic engagement at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts and former front office student worker in the Honors College, served as second reader.
Oleschuk’s thesis research led her to the Florence Thomas Art School and her current focus in the arts— “connection, community, and accessibility.” The opportunity to join a co-leadership position at FTAS felt like the natural next step for her. Reflecting on her academic background and its influence, Oleschuk said,
It gave me the language, research tools, and strategic mindset to support initiatives like creative aging, outreach, workshops, and community-focused exhibitions. It’s been a space where I can apply what I’ve learned in a hands-on, collaborative, and deeply impactful way.
Oleschuk’s thesis and its accompanying storytelling resource explored the impact of creative aging, which Oleschuk describes as:
research-driven, arts-based programs that engage older adults, including those living with dementia, and their care partners in interactive art experiences designed to combat social isolation.
These programs support the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social well-being of individuals by fostering creativity, joy, and social connection and making sure to preserve the agency and dignity of participants. Oleschuk also looked at how the growth of the field has been impacted by barriers in funding, transportation concerns, and overall lack of visibility, which threaten these programs' sustainability and scalability. Oleschuk conducted interviews with individuals in the field to understand their hopes and visions and then examined the new funding models, communication networks, and more that might strengthen and expand the impact of creative aging. Oleschuk summarizes this in a short statement: “Ultimately, this work aims to amplify creative aging’s visibility and turn negative, fearful narratives of aging into positive aging stories of purpose and vitality.”
Photo (left) features a Heart Collage session in the SPARK Creative Aging Program at Forest Ridge Assisted Living. Photo (right) features a Watercolor Florals session in the SPARK Creative Aging Program at Blue Cross NC Boone Center.
As co-director/director of community engagement at FTAS, Oleschuk’s responsibilities include a little bit of everything: strategic leadership, day-to-day operations, deep community involvement, programming, publicity, grant writing, collections, exhibitions, and more. She credits her Honors education with helping her approach these responsibilities from multiple angles in both critical and creative ways. For some of the more practical aspects of her job, Oleschuk’s experience managing the Looking Glass Gallery within the Plemmons Student Union has offered her vital experience. She also leads the SPARK Creative Aging Program, which focuses on bringing meaningful arts engagement to older adults and directly relates to the work of her thesis.
All her work is grounded in the belief that the arts are a powerful tool for connection, accessibility, and lifelong learning. Since beginning this position, Oleschuk has learned a number of things, the biggest of which is that “leadership is rooted in listening.” She relates this to how she engages with her team, community, and herself. Through this, she has also learned that making an impact often starts with small, consistent actions. Her ability to listen and be adaptable proved a valuable asset when Helene hit and Oleschuk, along with the community, were left navigating the impacts.
In the aftermath of Helene, Oleschuk, along with her co-director, Jessa Gerrald, developed a new responsive program to meet people where they were through distributing Creativity Kits for Recovery and Resilience. The kits were a way for older adults to participate in creative expression and emotional healing and were delivered via the local meal delivery routes in Ashe, Watauga, and Polk counties. Despite being a hurdle that Oleschuk had to overcome, the experience reinforced her belief that the arts are a valuable coping mechanism and highlighted how resilient and resourceful the High Country community is.
Photo shows Samantha Oleschuk with Creativity Kits for Recovery and Resilience
Moving forward, Oleschuk is committed to building up the long-term sustainability of the SPARK program and the stART Children’s Program so that people of all ages and backgrounds have access to the arts. Oleschuk also has goals to make the space more community-driven by developing exhibition programs to support emerging and underrepresented artists, as well as creating collaborative, family-friendly programs that open new pathways for engaging with and experiencing the arts. Oleschuk advises current Honors students to “lean into the interdisciplinary—that’s often where you’ll discover your niche.” Her own exploration into the interdisciplinary led her to this unique position.
Reflecting on the joy and inspiration she gets from her job, Oleschuk stated: “Every day at Florence Thomas Art School is different, and that variety keeps me both grounded and challenged. Whether I’m installing an exhibition, developing a new program, connecting with a new community partner, or writing a grant, I’m always thinking about how we can better serve our community through the arts. It’s a privilege to be part of an organization where creativity, learning, and care are at the center of everything we do.”
Top photo features Honors College alumna Samantha Oleschuk. Photo by Michelle Chopp Photography.
