IUPUI Top 100 Q&A: Dane Wallace on giving back to the Herron community

Friday, April 24, 2020

Through a series of Q&As, we're shedding light on the academic accomplishments of four Herron students who won 2020 IUPUI Top 100 Awards: Emily Crowel, Shelby Elrod, Abigail Mendoza, and Dane Wallace.

A senior graduating this spring, Dane Wallace has demonstrated continued leadership throughout his academic career.

Wallace has served as a Herron Ambassador, a member of Herron Student Council, an orientation leader, and a peer mentor for first-year seminars. His optimistic attitude and a strong sense of humor have helped others to realize their potential.

HERRON: What does being a Top 100 student mean to you?

DANE WALLACE: To me, being a Top 100 student means I get to be a part of an amazing group of people who have made their mark on IUPUI and the community around us. I will look back on this accomplishment when I am older and know that the campus I was part of for four years was appreciative of the things I did as a student.

At the same time, if I didn't have this honor, the work I've done here would be just as valid. I didn't do all the activities I did at IUPUI to get into the Top 100. I did them without any expectation, to give back to the community that has given so much to me.

HERRON: You've volunteered for various admissions events and led tours as a Herron Ambassador. What do you like most about engaging with prospective students?

WALLACE: As a Herron Ambassador, you are able to give tours to prospective students who are looking for potential art and design schools to attend. It's important because you are one of the first faces that some of these students see. What I enjoy most about participating in this program is that I get to help with the next generation of Herron students and show them what the school has to offer. This is a great way for me to give back to the school.

HERRON: For three years, you were an orientation leader on IUPUI's orientation team (OTEAM), an undergraduate leadership group that engages incoming students. What encouraged you to get involved?

WALLACE: One of the main reasons I joined the OTEAM was that my roommate during freshman year was on it and he encouraged me to apply. Being a member of OTEAM was an amazing experience. I met a group of people that became my connections all over the campus, leading to more connections.

My reasoning for joining was that I had an amazing first year and I wanted to make sure that incoming freshmen had that same amazing first year like I had. Being a part of OTEAM, I was also able to be a Bridge leader, where I worked with incoming students for a two-week period and helped them transition into IUPUI.

Some of the people I've met through these experiences will be lifelong friends. For me, this makes everything worth it. At the end of the day all of the time and energy I put into helping new students, I feel that I got even more out of it.

Wallace with one of his first orientation groups as an OTEAM leader. "I still see these students sometimes when I walk down the halls of Herron," he reflected. Jessica Stapp

HERRON: What did this experience teach you about mentoring your peers?

WALLACE: The orientation experience taught me that I can use my experiences to help others pursue their dreams. Being a mentor isn't just about being there during a set class time for a group of students. It is much more than that. It's about being a friend to someone and listening. Being a mentor has taught me to be the best version of myself so that others can also see the best version of themselves.

HERRON: As Vice President of Herron Student Council, you helped organized school-wide trips to explore art and design beyond Indianapolis. Can you tell us a little about these trips, such as ArtPrize in Grand Rapids?

WALLACE: This is a position I held during my junior year, which required me to attend council meetings and help organize events at Herron and outside of the school. The Grand Rapids trip was actually canceled due to a lack of students who signed up. But there were plenty of other events that we put on that year, such as a trip to see the International Sculpture Objects and Functional Art Fair (SOFA) at Navy Pier in Chicago. SOFA was an amazing event to help organize that benefited my peers. I wish I was able to have gone on the trip. Sadly, I had a family wedding to attend that weekend.

HERRON: What did you gain from studying abroad in London and Italy?

WALLACE: During spring break of my sophomore year, I spent a week studying the art and history of London. It was my first time abroad and is an experience I will never forget.

I was in Italy a total of 3.5 weeks this past summer – the longest I've ever been out of the country – and I'm pretty sure somewhere in the middle of the trip I forgot I lived in the U.S. I quickly became accustomed to the Italian culture. While I was over there, I kept a sketchbook that I now cherish.

Some of my favorite memories of Italy were of wandering through the cities and randomly finding shops and art galleries. It was an eye-opening experience to see how a different culture lives, particularly one that doesn't speak English as a first language. This trip made me more independent as a person. I feel more comfortable traveling alone.

Wallace with Herron's study abroad group in London in March 2018. Danielle Riede

HERRON: You're pursuing a B.F.A. in integrative studio practice and a minor in art history from Herron, as well as two additional minors – history and classical studies – from the IU School of Liberal Arts. What prompted you to triple minor and how do these interests influence your artistic practice?

WALLACE: Integrative studio practice (ISP) is new to me this semester. I was a drawing and illustration major for most of my time at Herron but became an ISP major because I wanted to focus on painting and sculpture during my last semester.

I decided to minor in art history because I only had to take two extra classes, and it expanded my knowledge as an artist. I pursued a history minor because I wanted to expand the pool of possible topics that could inspire my artwork. Then, I decided to get a minor in classical studies because all but one of the classes for the minor were either a part of my history or art history minor.

HERRON: What has been one of your most memorable moments while studying at Herron?

WALLACE: This is a really hard question for me to answer. I've had many memorable moments, but I would have to say I enjoyed walking down the hallways and being able to recognize most of the people I passed because of everything I have been involved with at Herron.

I have gained so much from Herron that I wouldn't have experienced elsewhere. What I've learned the most is to be myself and be creative. Herron has also given me the ability to take something mundane and turn it into something very "Dane." Other schools on campus do great things, but they lack the individuality that each Herron student has within themselves. I got to grow as a person at Herron.

HERRON: What advice would you give students who are struggling to find their own artistic voice?

WALLACE: There is a lot that I would say to students who are struggling to figure out who they are creatively. Don't be afraid to fail, it will only make you stronger. If each project that you do doesn't give you anxiety, then you are not challenging yourself hard enough.

If you feel that some of your skill sets are subpar to your classmates, don't worry about it. You are at Herron to learn, and some skills come more naturally to others. The most important thing is that you are doing work that you are passionate about.

Herron School of Art + Design

IUPUI Top 100 Q&A: Dane Wallace on giving back to the Herron community

Recent stories

Eskenazi Hall, 735 W. New York Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202