>

Resonance Student Experiences

Vanderbilt guests gather in the courtyard and gallery of Marchesani in Venice, Italy for a special program, Rising Waters.
Photo by Olivia Forrester

An Invitation to Travel and Learn

University students in Nashville, TN, were invited by the EADJ Team at Vanderbilt University to participate in micro-residencies at Fondazione Marchesani during the Resonance summer programming in Venice. Their experiences took place between May 8 and July 8, 2026.  Students were supported by Vanderbilt for their travel costs and housing expenses, staying in designated apartments near Venice. Each micro-residency was a one-week experience that allowed students to experience the Venice Biennale and live and work alongside Vanderbilt Faculty, Staff, and invited artists.

Framework for Student Experiences

The micro-residency structure centers around three main programmatic core elements:

  1. Service Component (Artist Relations / Journalism / Marketing): A commitment of service hours to the Vanderbilt team in Venice that is hosting the Resonance Exhibition art, Fondazione Marchesani.
  1. Biennale: Visit national pavilions at the Venice Biennale and formulate a creative project proposal inspired by a theme from your visits. 
  1. Creative Component (Writing, Performance, Sonic Arts, Design, Visual Art): Participants will complete fieldwork in Venice to guide their creative practice or research. They will draw conceptual ties to Venice, La Biennale in Minor Keys, and the EADJ Resonance exhibition. 



Participating Students

 

 

Image
Angel Akpovi

Angel Akpovi is a passionate advocate for youth empowerment and social change, with a diverse array of experiences in leadership, and community engagement. 

Dedicated member of organizations like Fair Education Alliance Youth Steering Board and Nottingham Crime Youth Commission, committed to addressing systemic issues and fostering positive change. 

She was recognized for her volunteer work with Heart Church Adventures and book donations to Book2Africa UK, alongside achievements such as winning Miss Teen Nigeria UK and being a finalist at the Inspirational Youth Awards. She was Student President and founder of CORE, with a track record of excellence in academics, arts, and community service.

Image
Arianella Myers

Arianella Myers is an interdisciplinary artist pursuing her BFA in Studio Art at Middle Tennessee State University. Her work focuses on the black experience, specifically in the United States. 

 

A pillar of her work stems from personal and communal identity, expressing the duality of the journal. When reflecting on this communal identity, her work serves as a documentation of shared Black experiences. When reflecting on personal identity, her work is a journal where her thoughts and ideas are held. 

Image
Aaliyah Perez

Aaliyah Perez is a poet and spoken word performer from Atlanta, Georgia. Her work explores themes of faith, intimacy, justice, and morality.

She has worked in nonprofit internships with FOCUS in Atlanta and Recreate NZ in Auckland New Zealand, in both positions working with children and young adults with physical and intellectual disabilities. She held an internship position with Cox Enterprises doing philanthropic and community service events for the Atlanta community. Starting in June, she will be working on staff with a college campus ministry, Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) at their Florida State University location in Tallahassee, Florida. She will be on ministry staff, planning events for college students and supporting students in finding community and their journey of faith.

Image
Jaylan Sims

Jaylan Sims is a dynamic storyteller operating at the intersection of audio components, social media curation, public media, and expanding digital environments. Pursuing degrees in Communication Studies as well as the Communication of Science and Technology, Jaylan has dedicated nearly ten years to student-led journalism. Over this time, he has sharpened a versatile skillset covering creative podcasting, narrative feature writing, multi-platform video editing, and comprehensive multimedia reporting.

Though environmental topics serve as one of his foundational coverage specialties, Jaylan’s agility as a media creator allows him to document a diverse spectrum of subjects with deep nuance and critical focus. His creative momentum is driven heavily by non-fiction formats and documentary film—mediums where he works to draw out the underlying narratives defining our world, alongside the crucial community stories that remain untold.