CHRIS HENNIG, Admissions Counselor

The best thing about my job is that I get to be around smart, creative people—both professionals, and soon-to-be professionals. Getting to see students come into their own as artists and creative forces to be turned loose on the world! That, and helping people—making certain elements and situations of a complicated, new experience a little less so . . . . that makes me feel good.

When I show a potential applicant around AAC, I always make sure they see the student studios. Picking just one part of AAC as a must-see is tough, because interests will vary from person to person. I try to show people ALL of the building. But the students studios are where the art is born, the ideas lit and fanned and tended to. I also encourage people to get out and see the city of Cincinnati itself—there is plenty to discover or, in some cases, re-discover.

The most common question I get from interested students is “What is there to do around the city?' And the answer is 'PLENTY!' Three top-notch museums, a great natural history museum, pro sports, a world class aquarium, opera, theatre, a world-class orchestra, lots of rock and roll shows, our co-ed indoor soccer team, an amazing zoo, annual performing arts and alternative rock festivals, a great tradition of jazz . . . . I could go on; but you get the picture.

If I were a freshman at AAC, the course I'd really want to take is . . . . . well, there are two: Foundations Core is one of them for sure, and the other is printmaking, because it is so closely related to several disciplines I’m interested in, including drawing, painting, and even photography.