Meet M.F.A. student Ariel Jarman
Ariel, an M.F.A. in Integrated Design student, talks about her path to a new career in design. Read Ariel's story.
Meet M.F.A. student Stacy Adam
"My interests in stamps started several years ago, when the post office never seemed
to have stamps available that matched a theme for an invitation I was creating. As
a graphic designer, I was tired of feeling like I had to settle for something that
didn't match the rest of the invitation package, so I started looking online and came
across vintage stamps, which opened up a whole new world of possibilities. From there,
I began collecting vintage stamps that I was attracted to. Topics like women's rights,
fine arts and textiles, and astronomy. I'm drawn to stamps that are well designed
and eye catching. My love of stamp collecting, and learning about the history behind
the stamp and the country of origin, led me to philately. I was shocked when I learned
that the demographic numbers of one of the largest stamp organizations in the United
States was only 9% female, which seemed to be vastly different from the community
I was engaged with on social media.
The purpose of my thesis is to encourage more women to call themselves a philatelist, who – despite their interests in stamps, snail mail, postcards, and other philatelic topics – are hesitant to do so. In order to promote a sense of community and empower these women to find their place in a hobby largely dominated by men, I will interview other women who are active philatelists and then present their stories in a printed book, on a website, and on social media profiles that will be dedicated to informing and connecting women in the hobby. This project is not only important for the future of philately, which is often viewed as a dying hobby, but it will also contribute to the larger conversation of representation, inclusion, and the empowerment of women. It is my goal to see women more equally represented throughout this hobby."
Stacy was recently featured by the American Philatelic Society: