36

October 12, 1987

Dr. David Driskell
Chairman, Art Department
North Administration Building
The University of Maryland 20742

Dear Dr. Driskell:

My name is Karla Smith, a recent graduate from the School Without Walls,
in Washington, D. C., and I plan a career as a costume designer.

I am writing to inform you of my intention to attend the University of
Maryland, College Park, to receive a B.A., in Costume Design and a M.S.
in Textile Economics and Marketing.

In the summer of 1986, I worked with the Co'san Arts Institute at the
Duke Ellington School of the Arts, which gave me the desire to
study drama, dance, and creative writing. At the 1986 Metropolitan
Links' Young Black Writers Contest, I won first place in poetry and
second place in prose.

During the 1987 Spring Semester, I was selected as a pariticipant in the
Smithsonian Institution's Career Awareness Program ( CAP). During
my CAP experience, I learned about and interned with the professionals
who work in museums. As a part of the program, I worked at the
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden with the exhibits designer
and exhibition specialist.

Greatly influenced by the CAP, I applied for the Smithsonian Institution's
Summer ' 87 internship program and was one of two District of Columbia
students selected. I applied for and was placed as a museum aide in
the Smithsonian' s Discovery Theatre. While there, I worked on
designing covers for the upcoming season's educational packets, conducted
a bibliographic search for each performance, and started the preliminary
research for a Discovery Theatre original production to be based on the
lives of Washington area immigrants. After gaining the respect and
confidence of my supervisor, my internship was extended from five weeks
to eleven weeks. Presently, I am working as a Box Office Assistant at
the Shakespeare Theatre, at the Folger, in Washington, D. C.

I have read the Minority Presence brochure and am pleased to know that
there is support for me at the University. I very much appreciate
any assistance you can offer me.

Thank you for your consideration.

Respectfully submitted,

Karla M. Smith