Raelynn (Rae) Gibson
Graduation year: 2025
High school: Central DeWitt High School
Hometown: DeWitt, Iowa
Majors: Art history, graphic design
Minors: Philosophy, art
Activities: Socratic Society of Augustana (Philosophy Club), Go & Chill Out Club
Internship: 2023 McMullan Family Foundation Summer Intensive Program – Art Institute of Chicago
Post-grad plans: I plan to continue to grow as a museum professional, hopefully through more hands-on experiences within the museum space.
Why Augustana?
Upon completing my associate's degree at Scott Community College in Bettendorf, Iowa, I was looking to continue my education. It was one of my professors at Scott, Angie Ghrist, who pointed me towards Augustana.
What especially drew me to Augie was the small class size. I knew I wouldn’t like the thousands-of-students class size at a state school, so the sizes here definitely appealed to my desire to meaningfully connect with my instructors and peers.
Are you where you thought you'd be when you first came to campus?
Definitely not. I have experienced the world in ways I never really thought I would. My sense of confidence in myself, my level of work ethic and my love for the arts have only grown since I enrolled.
I’ve been able to participate in an awesome, exploratory program through the Art Institute of Chicago. I’ve been able to study abroad twice, and I’ve also gained experience in curating my own art exhibition!
Who helped you get to where you are now?
I have been fortunate enough to have had a huge amount of help getting to where I am now.
Coming from a large family has its perks when I’m in need of encouragement. To my parents and my siblings who have been incredibly supportive of my Augustana education, I thank you.
The connections I have made through my time at the Art Institute of Chicago have sparked my love for the arts even further. To my cohort — Rachel Joy Echiverri Rowland, Leslie Wilson and Jill Bugajski — I thank you.
I have had the pleasure of working with wonderful professional mentors. To career coaches Keri Bass and Claire Brakel Packer of CORE and Anne Oakes of Counseling Services, I thank you.
Having had the privilege of learning from the extensive collection of instructors here at Augustana has definitely fueled a lot of my success. For those who have taught me all I know, I thank you.
Finally, to all of the friends I have made here at Augie (you know who you are), you are what inspire me most.
Peak experience?
I have too many peak experiences to choose from! Being invited to participate in the 2023 Summer Intensive Program at the Art Institute of Chicago is definitely up there. I had an amazing time with that cohort of undergrads exploring all kinds of options when it comes to museum careers.
My two study abroad experiences were really fun, too! I got to travel to Spain in January 2024 and Greece in January 2025. I have definitely made some great friends through participating in both of those trips!
What surprised you?
What surprised me most was how homey Augustana would feel.
As a transfer student from Iowa rather than Illinois, I was worried that I would be lonely for most of my time here. Since I’m also a commuter, I felt that I might miss out on making friends and participating in on-campus events.
But I’m glad that I found my people and a sense of community here.
How did you use your Augie Choice?
I used my Augie Choice to cover part of the cost of my first study abroad experience. I traveled to Spain during the 2024 January term as part of the Drawing in Situ class taught by Professor Peter Xiao. We had a blast exploring Barcelona and Madrid for two weeks, visiting art museums and making art!
What will you miss the most?
I will definitely miss the people the most. Whether it be my professors, my career coaches, my counselor or all of the friends I have made in my time here, I will miss them most.
It has been a wonderful experience to have met all of these people and essentially see them every day, but it’s scary to think about all of these connections fading away with time.
Graduation will be bittersweet, but I’m excited to see what happens in our futures.
Advice for the Class of 2029?
Take full advantage of the resources available to you! Visit your professors during their office hours, schedule appointments with the career coaches at CORE, care for your mental health by utilizing Counseling Services, get involved on campus through a student club.
"Rae has been a welcome presence in the philosophy department over the last three years. As a philosophy minor, she has been a pleasure to have as a student for our faculty. But it is the enthusiasm and dedication she has brought to her role in the Socratic Society of Augustana, our undergraduate philosophy club, that truly stands out. Rae’s love of philosophy and kind, welcoming demeanor has brought many new students to the club over the years, helping to make it the thriving community of undergraduate philosophers that it has become."