About the Staff
Meet 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.
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Sydney Westin
Career Services Coordinator, Center for Creative Economies
sydney.westin@austin.utexas.edu
Sydney Westin (she/her) is an artist, educator, and lifelong learner. 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, as well as led a variety of programs for the community—from wrangling paint-covered toddlers all the way to working with seniors at local nursing and assisted living facilities. She also volunteered with the Joe Barnhart Scholarship Foundation, helping area high school seniors find and acquire scholarship and grant funding for their education.
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!