Liz Rubel

"I am confident and grateful that CUNY SPS has, and will continue to, influence my career trajectory. I have accepted an administrative role with the amazing organization I had previously been a contracting artist with, The Creative Center, and am grateful for the knowledge and experience that have brought me here.”

What were some of the most defining aspects of your time at CUNY SPS?

Many of the most defining aspects for me during my time at CUNY SPS was being a part of different extracurricular activities. The Disability and Access Coalition, which I joined my first week of being a student, and became Co-Chair of during my second year, was a place of community building and knowledge deepening for myself and others.

What is the best piece of advice, or most important thing you learned at CUNY SPS?

I would say my best piece of advice has continued to be to reach out to every person you meet who might have similar interests, passions, journeys, and trajectories as you. When someone speaks in a class and shares their email address, when you go to a lecture and they say please reach out, when you explore your favorite organization’s website and see an info@ address -- use them! Connections and networking are everything, especially in a city like New York. Get people to remember you.

Who influenced you the most? Please feel free to include anyone from the CUNY SPS community including faculty, staff, or fellow classmates.

My fellow Disability and Access Coalition members, students I got to know on the Student Association, my Museum Studies thesis cohort and the first graduating class of the program, and many other students in the Museum Studies program influenced me greatly -- because it is totally inspiring to learn alongside other adult students who are making life changes and investing in themselves while working, raising families, and making major life decisions. Of course, also my family, my friends, and my partner who was receiving her master’s degree at the same time.

How has your CUNY SPS influenced your current job, and your career overall?

I am confident and grateful that CUNY SPS has, and will continue to, influence my career trajectory. I have accepted an administrative role with the amazing organization I had previously been a contracting artist with, The Creative Center, and am grateful for the knowledge and experience that have brought me here.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

The Creative Center offers free arts workshops to people living with cancer and chronic illness, through in-hospital Artists-in-Residencies and a full workshop calendar on Zoom and in various community centers. I love the work that The Creative Center does because I believe that creativity and artistic expression have a great impact on our healing processes. Now, more than ever, we need a more collective understanding and acceptance of the Arts in Healthcare field, and what it provides.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Part of me wants to go back to school again to become a Licensed Creative Arts Therapist, but I don’t think I actually see myself there in five years. I believe my formal education days are over, and I am excited to dive into the administrative, programming, and development work to understand and support the inner workings of a non-profit arts organization that I am passionate about and does such amazing work.

OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

• What show/s are you currently watching? Honestly, I don’t watch too much TV -- but I’ve been into this documentary show on Hulu called UnXplained with William Shatner. I love learning random facts about the world, especially nature shows!
• What is your favorite meal? Hmmm, maybe a bacon, egg, and cheese? Or a Katz’s pastrami sandwich! (Yes, I’m a through and through New Yorker)
• What is your favorite line in a movie? Another hmm… most seem inappropriate, but I have an odd love for the movie The Wedding Singer with Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. He writes her a song called “I Wanna Grow Old With You” and sings it to her on the airplane. It stupidly gets me every time.
• Favorite or most recent book you read?  Absolute rave for “The Body is Not an Apology” by Sonia Renee Taylor. I highly recommend this book whether or not you are looking to get your mind blown in the most simple but meaningful ways. Because we all need it, if we know it or not.
• Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, none, all?  I really only use Instagram these days, and it’s to stay in touch with friends and see what they’re up to. I’m getting sick of it, and try to use it more for art inspiration, cute animals (and babies), and learning about nature. LinkedIn, rarely but sometimes.
• List 3 things you would bring to a deserted island.  My pet bearded dragon lizard, unlimited coffee and chocolate (yes that’s one), and a genie who grants unlimited wishes!

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