A round-table discussion led by UWO alumna Taylor Brzezinski ‘23, second from left, explains how to connect with students through necklace creation. Pictured from left, are Krista Frenz, Vel Phillips Middle School arts intergration coach; Brzezinski; Renee Schumacher, ‘12, Oshkosh Area School District art integration coordinator; and Caitlin Huber, UWO special education major. 

For 10 years, the ArtsCore program at the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh has been helping shape the future of education—one teacher, one student and one creative lesson at a time.

The program’s annual ArtsCore Arts Integration Symposium, held on campus this week at Reeve Memorial Union, is a cornerstone event, offering pre-service and early career teachers hands-on experience in blending the arts into everyday classroom instruction.

 

 

“This symposium is about supporting teachers in developing best practices and giving them a network to rely on,” said Donna Nelson, director of ArtsCore. “When teachers have this kind of foundation, they’re more likely to stay in the profession long term. It’s all about recruitment and retention, making sure educators feel supported not just in their early years but throughout their careers.” 

At the heart of ArtsCore is a simple but profound mission: to empower educators with the confidence, competence, and resiliency to teach through the arts. The program is a partnership between UW Oshkosh, the Paine Art Center and Gardens, and regional school districts, ensuring that arts integration is not just a theory but a practice that benefits students across the community. 

This year, 94 UW-Oshkosh  students and 27 teachers from the Appleton and Oshkosh school districts attended the symposium. The event featured 27 round-tables where students had the opportunity to interact with and learn from experienced teachers in the field through hands-on, experiential activities.

Integrating art

Taylor Brzezinski, who graduated from UWO in 2023 with a degree in fine arts with an emphasis in education, knows firsthand the value of the ArtsCore program. As a UWO student, she attended the symposium four times. Now, as a full-time art teacher at Carl Traeger Middle School and Oshkosh North High School, she returned to UWO to present for the first time as a teacher in the field. 

“The symposium gave me a real look at what being a teacher actually looks like,” Brzezinski said. “As a student, you don’t always get to see the behind-the-scenes—how teachers adapt, what works and what doesn’t. Seeing that helped me feel prepared when I stepped into my own classroom.”  

Brzezinski’s journey with ArtsCore began when she discovered the program’s renewable scholarship, which she received all four years at UW–Oshkosh. Beyond financial support, it deepened her engagement with the ArtsCore community. She served as a board member for three years and was president of the ArtsCore student organization for two. That leadership experience, coupled with the symposium’s hands-on learning, reinforced her belief in the power of integrating arts into education. 

For this year’s symposium, Brzezinski, of Kewaskum, presented a project she developed with her middle and high school students: symbolism cast pendants. Her lesson tied literacy to art, challenging students to create a metal-cast pendant representing something meaningful to them.

“One of my students saw herself as lucky, so she designed a horseshoe pendant,” she shared. “It was amazing to see them connect personal symbolism with a hands-on, creative process.” 

She laughed as she recalled one of the most memorable moments of the project: “I got to bring out a blowtorch and my students thought that was the coolest thing in the world. There’s something about fire and molten metal that gets kids excited about learning.” 

Connecting and learning

While Brzezinski has long understood the symposium’s impact, for students like Caitlin Huber and Spencer Skivington, this year’s event was an eye-opening experience.   

Huber, of Clintonville, is a junior special education major who relished the time with experienced teachers.

“Getting to experience it hands-on and hearing directly from teachers about what works in their classrooms gave me ideas I can use in the future,” she said. 

For Huber, the symposium affirmed her passion for education. She grew up in a family deeply connected to special education; her mother was a special education teacher for 35 years and her stepbrothers are autistic. She already knew she wanted to work with students who have diverse learning needs. The symposium, she said, reinforced how arts integration can be an effective tool for reaching all learners.

Skivington, of Tomball, Texas, is a senior and an English education major with a certification in English as a Second Language (ESL). He was drawn to the symposium after participating in the ArtsCore-funded New Faces, New Voices internship last summer. The program pairs pre-service teachers with refugee students in the Oshkosh and Menasha areas, using art as a bridge to language learning. 

“Art is such a powerful way to connect with students, especially English language learners,” Skivington said. “When I worked with refugee students, we used painting, music, and dance to help them express themselves and learn English. Seeing those connections happen in real-time made me want to learn more about integrating arts into my future classroom.” 

At the symposium, Skivington attended a session where he was to make something out of clay that symbolizes something meaningful to him.

“I made a little baseball out of clay because baseball has been a big part of my life,” he said. “It reminded me how art can be a tool for self-expression, which is so important for students who are learning a new language.” 

As ArtsCore celebrates its 10th anniversary, its leaders remain committed to expanding the program’s reach. Currently, UW–Oshkosh is the only Universities of Wisconsin school with a program like this and ArtsCore Director, Nelson, who noted grant monies are coming to an end, hopes to secure additional funding to ensure its continuation. 

“Our research shows that arts integration increases student engagement and reduces behavioral issues,” Nelson said. “It’s about making learning accessible and meaningful for all students. And for teachers, it’s about feeling connected and knowing they’re part of a network that values creativity and collaboration.” 

Learn more: 

Study Fine Arts at UWO
Study Education at UWO
Study English at UWO
ArtsCore at UWO