Teresa Bagdasarova
Westminster College
Teresa Bagdasarova, a junior at Westminster College, is dedicated to creating social change through academic and co-curricular programs. Teresa has used art to create social change. In her leadership role at a local Title 1 middle school, she works with the students to celebrate diversity through artistic expression. Additionally, she has used her role as Vice President for the Westminster College Entrepreneurship Club to create a business challenge to mentor these middle school-aged students to develop professional skills through hands-on work. Teresa, in support from her faculty mentor, has also helped grow and expand an academic program in which she planned events and took the lead as the communications liaison. Teresa's commitment to taking leadership roles to understand and address community issues, and enhancing academic programs, is truly admirable.
Personal Statement
Since high school, Teresa has partook in a variety of service projects that have made a significant impact in her student and personal life. Teresa started taking part in the community when she joined the American Red Cross as Co-chair of Disaster Preparedness for Great Salt Lake Chapter Youth Committee for two years. She loved working with young volunteers that are passionate about serving the community. For two years Teresa explored careers in law enforcement and served in the Explorer Program, dedicated to serving the community while training for the police academy.
Teresa is passionate about creative arts, particularly its association with community growth and city development. Her enthusiasm in art gives her the ability to understand artistic perspectives and encourage creative innovation within an organization.
Teresa comes from an Armenian immigrant/refugee family and is passionate about working with Promise SSL students, many of whom are refuges. Knowing the hardships they face and wanting to provide them opportunities to be successful, safe and happy.
In her spare time she enjoys attending workshops, art galleries, museums, and conferences. She spends time exploring the latest new business and likes to read in cafes while never passing up an opportunity to learn something new.
After graduation Teresa will pursue a dual law/metropolitan planning degree and attain experiences that will help her achieve her career goal of becoming an art director. She hopes to create an art program that will provide a bountiful amount of resources to the refugee/immigrant youth community and incorporate a variety of lessons, guest speakers, mediums and opportunities for students to showcase their work and represent their diversity.
