Molly Dykstra, a 42-year-old newly divorced woman, had an extensive amount of responsibilities on her plate, but also an immense passion for art. Even though art was her passion, she ignored her wants and continued the path as she always had. With her abundance of responsibilities, many told her that a career in art wasn’t a “real job.” However, she followed her heart and started her journey toward earning a degree in Fine Arts.

“The instructors at Ivy Tech Community College were an amazing group of working artists who offered me a diverse experience,” said Molly. “They provided me a variety of wisdom without hesitation. This allowed me to explore a wide range of mediums and techniques that lead to a successful art career.”

Of the many well renowned art schools in the Midwest, Molly believes Ivy Tech is one of the best schools that she could’ve chosen. Like many other students that attend Ivy Tech, the low cost of tuition and flexible class times allowed her to continue to support her family while earning her degree.

“Ivy Tech is among the finest of art schools. It allowed me to continue to live and support my family while also pursuing my education.”

While attending Ivy Tech, Molly had the opportunity to have her work shown in various Indianapolis galleries. She received a variety of awards, including several Best in Shows. Molly even went on to earn many IMDb credits while working on the web series Star Trek Continues, and the illustration of the book All About Benjamin that was published in 2016.

“Being a Fine Arts student at Ivy Tech not only taught me techniques in art, but how to live as a professional artist. I have learned so much, from exploring new mediums, speaking to other professionals, as well as showing my work.”

Molly will be graduating with her degree in Fine Arts in May of 2018 semester. She plans to continue to grow in her field, and show her art at many more Indianapolis galleries.