Notre Dame’s diverse student community is filled with different talents, skills and passions. The artistic talent of one of these students, Pauline Nguyen ‘17, is being recognized by the San Jose Downtown Foundation, who chose her artwork for their Downtown Doors project from more than 180 submissions.

Created in 2003, Downtown Doors is a program founded by the San José Downtown Foundation which aims to make the downtown environment lively and animated, while promoting community participation and cultural awareness. Through this program, youth artwork is placed upon usually ignored utility and service doors. The artwork provides food for thought for the public to enjoy, beautifies the city, and prevents graffiti tagging and vandalism. In addition, it provides aspiring artists an outlet to exhibit their work and express their thoughts and ideas. Further, it provides life lessons and real world experience.

Over the last several years, the art of 32 Notre Dame students has been selected for the San Jose Downtown Doors program. Pauline’s artwork includes images of pressed flowers along with a poem:

Even these flowers that have been

Pressed down,

Dried out,

And deprived of their sun,

Are full of color

~p.n.