About the COFA Career Services Staff
We are so excited to help you shape your career journey in the arts. Read more below about who we are and how we can help you.
SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH US
Note: The link above will take you to your Handshake account. Just click on “Schedule a New Appointment,” then “College of Fine Arts.” You’ll see a list of all the different types of career coaching appointment topics we offer!
Meredith McDowell
Senior Career Services Coordinator, Center for Creative Economies
meredith.mcdowell@austin.utexas.edu
Meredith McDowell (she/her/hers) comes to UT with 10 years of student support experience. She holds two graduate degrees in Career Counseling (Master of Science and Education Specialist) from Florida State University and a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Samford University. She has worked in multiple K-12 school settings, most recently at Arkansas Arts Academy, and the Career Centers of Florida State University and Texas A&M University. In her spare time, she loves eating out at vegan restaurants, thrifting, and playing around with her houseplants.
Meredith serves all COFA students, but especially loves working with:
- Undecided or career-questioning students
- Students wanting to develop a deeper sense of self-knowledge (values, interests, skills, personality)
Favorite places to hang out in Austin: I love to visit local plant shops, like Tillery Street Plant Co., East Austin Succulents, and the Great Outdoors!
Childhood dream job: I wanted to be an artist or professional basketball player. I still love painting and playing basketball in my free time.
Most interesting job/internship in college: Due to my interest in event planning at the time, I interned with a wedding planner and assisted with large-scale wedding preparation and execution.
Career tip for COFA students: Take the time to develop your self-knowledge. Employers are looking for people who know and understand themselves well. If asked, know how to articulate what your values (what is important to you), skills (what you are good at), and interests (what you like) are, as well as what your personality style is like. If you are looking to develop a vocabulary around your self-knowledge, make an appointment with me and we can start the process!
Sydney Westin
Career Services Coordinator, Center for Creative Economies
sydney.westin@austin.utexas.edu
Sydney Westin (she/her/hers) is an artist and educator. She comes from a background working in museum and gallery education. Most recently, she worked as the Senior Education Manager at the Beeville Art Museum, where she designed and implemented museum curriculum for local school districts.
Sydney received her BFA in Studio Art and Art History from West Texas A&M University. While there, she worked as an educator for the Amarillo Museum of Art. She also had the opportunity to attend a study abroad program in London, which later led her to attending University College London, where she received her MA in Art and Design in Education. In her spare time, Sydney enjoys painting, reading, and exploring.
Sydney serves all COFA students, but especially loves working with:
- Visual arts students
- Students who need help with artist’s statements, cover letters, and other professional writing
- Students interested in traveling or studying abroad
Favorite place to hang out on campus: Having a stroll around the VAC to check out the current exhibitions.
Childhood dream job: I wanted to be a veterinarian until allergies foiled my plans!
Most interesting job/internship in college: My internship with the Amarillo Museum of Art in their education department. It solidified my love of museums and expanded my ideas of what it could mean to be an artist and teacher.
Career tip for COFA students: Don’t let the big picture overwhelm you. It is easy to feel overwhelmed when trying to make decisions and plan for a career, so instead break down your big picture goals into more manageable pieces, whether that’s sending an email you’ve been putting off, taking photos for your portfolio, setting up 30 minutes to research an internship, or maybe even scheduling a meeting with career services. The only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time!
