Artist Biography
Calvin Zuraw is a senior at Endicott College that will be graduating this spring with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Architecture. Calvin’s interest in this field of study is rooted in residential design and took influence from both his mother and father. Since a young age, he has collaborated with his mother on various home design projects and has been surrounded by diverse design styles throughout their home. Calvin’s father studied architecture in college, and has also contributed to Calvin’s decision to pursue this field of study in college. Calvin had the opportunity to study abroad in Florence, Italy during the fall 2022 semester of his junior year. This experience was extremely beneficial to broadening his creative mindset and overall appreciation of design and architecture. He was able to partake in classes that contributed directly to this field of study such as lighting design and the history of architecture. He has now completed 3 years of internships during his time at Endicott, with the latest being at Creative Office Resources during the Fall 2023 semester of senior year. After 4 years of his academic career, he has a new found passion for design within the hospitality and workplace industries.
Thesis Abstract
School shootings in America are one of the most complex social issues due to how many factors influence their occurrence. There is massive debate over which aspects are the main cause of these events; whether it’s a mental health problem, a gun control problem, or a combination of both. It’s almost certain that both play a large role, but when it comes to the changes that can be made within educational settings, putting mental health at the forefront of developing new learning methods and academic environments should be prioritized. These strategies that focus on proper mental health support, especially in regards to school shooting related trauma and fear, have the potential to reduce the probability of school shootings. The Elevate Academic Center is a combined middle school and community center that is meant to
reduce the occurrence of school shootings and violence. It will feature classrooms, mental health services, and various educational and community spaces. This center will improve the mental health of young students, make all occupants feel safe physically and mentally, and educate the community on school violence and mental health strategies.