Congratulations to department alumna Hannah Smith!

Posted on 6 July 2018

Hannah has accepted the position of Visitor Team Assistant at The Whitworth Gallery in Manchester.

We always like hearing about the successes of our former students. Hannah is a member of the class of 2017/8, due to graduate this summer, and she has already been awarded what she describes as her dream job! In Hannah's own words:

“As a mature student of 23, going back to study was an exciting, yet scary challenge, however I needn’t have worried. My classmates quickly became great friends as we engaged in debates, explored our passion for the arts and supported each other along the way. I can’t say how much I enjoyed History of Art and how thankful I am to the dedicated staff in the department, and the encouraging and devoted tutors’.

I studied Contemporary, Victorian, and Medieval Art giving me a wider range of undergraduate knowledge through the varied module choices. I was able to visit Washington DC on a study abroad programme, visited the White House on my birthday and explored through structured classes and debates, politics through a History of Art lens.

Studying History of Art gave me the confidence to believe in myself again, especially within the excellent Art Law module taught by Emma Waring and Michael White. Through this degree, I was able to pursue a career within the arts, and shortly after finishing my final exams, accepted the positon of Visitor Team Assistant at The Whitworth gallery in Manchester. I’ll be able to put to work my now varied and extensive knowledge of not just art history, but philosophy, ethics and politics, in my dream job at an incredible institution.

The University of York gave me a well-respected degree and the ability to pursue and obtain a career within the arts. For this, I will continue to be thankful to the History of Art department at York throughout the rest of my life.”

Well done Hannah, we are delighted for you! For more news about Hannah and many of our other former students, please visit our alumni pages. If you are a former department member and would like to contribute a news item or alumna profile, please get in touch.