Eastern Michigan University’s student chapter of the National Art Education Association champions three core values: creativity, inclusivity and community.
NAEA is a national organization dedicated to fostering creative growth and innovation by providing resources to art educators. NAEA has members from all 50 states. Members include pre-K through high school teachers, college and university professors, college and university students, school administrators and others.
“We really value creating community spaces, accessibility to the arts, getting people involved, and being in service not only to art educators but to the greater community," said EMU NAEA Vice President Lauren Lakin.
NAEA aims to support growth and offer opportunities to future art educators through workshops, professional development, community service and more.
EMU is one of three schools in Michigan to have a NAEA student organization.
Members of NAEA gain valuable experiences that help them jump-start their careers as educators. Anyone interested in creating art is encouraged to join, as well as those pursuing a career in education, whether in art education or other fields.
"We try to advocate from the core values of community, education, and creativity," said EMU NAEA President Ella Brandow. "So those who seek to get involved with us are trying to get those things for themselves. We gather together, and we talk about those things and how we can bring them into our lives and the community. The people who get involved with us are interested in art, art education or education. They want to explore those things with us in a way that we set up through a creation or education event."
In addition to providing educational experiences, NAEA also strives to create a safe environment where students can make friends with their peers.
"At the end of the day, people at university are wanting to connect," said EMU NAEA Secretary Lynnlee Voge. "At the very bare minimum, we have friends and a place to go, and that is so crucial. Just being a student org period is very powerful because we're intentionally setting opportunities."
NAEA often participates in and hosts events on campus. The group recently participated in EMU Campus Life's Pumpkins on the Patio, where it hosted a doodle booth, drawing portraits of students for a small fee, and sold art to raise funds for the organization. Voge said that the group was approached by Campus Life to inquire if it could attend more events.
NAEA also partners with the Ypsilanti District Library to do art stations and workshops in which anyone can participate. Alongside smaller-scale events, NAEA participates in broader outreach events. For instance, 14 EMU students will attend the Michigan Art Education Association Annual Conference in Traverse City from Nov. 13-16, 2025.
NAEA has been at EMU since 2019 but has increased its activities recently. Previously, the organization's membership and opportunities were restricted. The current executive board came together and made things happen, recovering from the prior inactivity. The group is now active on social media (@emu_naea on Instagram) and at campus events, continuously working to expand the organization.
“As a group of people who came together and decided what we want and just made it, I want to encourage anyone else to do the same thing," Brandow said. "Even if you don't know anyone who might do something with you, put yourself out there because a group of people with the ability to decide ‘this is the thing we want’ and go after it can turn into a beautiful thing."
Those interested can learn more about NAEA at EMU on its website.
