Licheng She ’25 and Corrine Waters ’26 Receive Curatorial Apprenticeship Awards

Pitzer College Art Galleries recently gave an award to Licheng She ’25 and Corrine Waters ’26 to complete in-depth curatorial apprenticeships. Available to first-generation and students of color, the Benjamin Godsill ’00 and Anna Burns Student Apprenticeship Award provides the chance to work with the Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions (LACE) in Hollywood and Fulcrum Arts in Pasadena.

As a media studies major, Licheng She ’25 has pursued a variety of internships in entertainment—including IMAX. She is fascinated by “how the intersection of media, art, photography, cinematography, sound design, and theater can create new and engaging forms of immersive art.”

She also seeks to understand “how art and media can shape human connections and inspire social change.”

“I am interested in creating art experiences that transport audiences and allow them to become active participants,” said She. “I am eager to further explore how traditional and digital media can work together to push the boundaries of artistic expression and redefine the role of the audience.”

She has a strong passion for cinema, photography and other visual arts. She is excited to learn how to curate and present visual art exhibitions through the apprenticeship. In the future, She hopes to apply these skills for her own art exhibitions.

She will join Fulcrum Arts in the fall for her apprenticeship.

“Fulcrum Arts has a wide-reaching influence and reputation in supporting and nurturing emerging artists,” said She. “I hope to broaden my artistic horizons, explore innovative ideas, and continuously grow in the fields of art practice and exhibition curation.”

Waters is an art history major and an emerging museum professional with a passion for curation and archives. Her research interests include street photography and quotidian life within the Black/African American diaspora. Before joining LACE for her apprenticeship this spring, Waters worked as a curatorial/exhibitions intern at the Benton Museum of Art at Pomona College.

Waters also recently received the Office of Black Student Affairs’ (OBSA) conference and research grant. With support from OBSA and Pitzer College, Waters attended the Black Art Symposium at the African American Art & Culture Complex in San Francisco.

“This trip was transformative for me … because I witnessed settings I can imagine myself forging a career in,” Waters said in an interview with OBSA. 

Waters’ trip also included visits to the Museum of African Diaspora and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

“I hope to bring the learnings of this experience with me in the years to come in Claremont as well as more opportunities for career exploration for Black students interested in the arts,” said Waters.

Waters is excited to develop her career in the arts and strengthen bridges between local Black communities and art institutions. 

The apprenticeship award was made possible by a generous donation in 2021 by Pitzer alumnus Benjamin Godsill ’00 and his wife, Anna Burns, as a testament to Godsill’s commitment as a Pitzer graduate and their shared belief in the College’s mission. 

Offered on a competitive basis, the award seeks to create opportunities for individuals from groups underrepresented in the museum field by offering in-depth curatorial experience and providing a professional bridge to long-term museum careers. 

Pitzer College Art Galleries is grateful to Benjamin Godsill ’00 and Anna Burns for their vision, generosity, and commitment to fostering change in the museum world and for the support of our partner organizations, LACE and Fulcrum Arts, for joining us in supporting this program through hands-on learning and mentoring.