Not many people can juggle being the vice president of the Black Student Union (BSU), a member of a sorority, an employee at the HUB and still find time to make excellent pieces of art but somehow Miana Coleman can. Coleman is a fourth year Ceramics major at Sonoma State University and enjoys creating new works of art.

 She focuses primarily on sculpture work and abstract pieces. Her love of ceramics began in high school.

 “I went to the teen center in Santa Rosa, and I did ceramics there,” said Coleman, “Then I took a ceramics class in high school and started to love it!” 

Now as a fourth year, Coleman has access to a studio space where she can get her creative juices flowing and work on various different pieces.

 Having her own space to create her art has been a fun experience. It is there where she can focus on her passion.

 “I feel like it’s very therapeutic and soothing. I also feel like I can put a lot of my own emotions and my life within ceramics,” said Coleman, “ I just love it in general because it’s something that makes me happy.” 

Her hard work and excitement clearly show in the ceramics that she makes. 

Those who have been lucky enough to visit her studio space can describe firsthand Coleman’s skill.

“I went to her art studio, and it’s amazing,”  said Coleman’s sorority sister Heidi Parra, “Her work is phenomenal and I really love her creativity,”

When Coleman graduates, she plans to continue her education and work towards becoming an art therapist. 

“I want to be an art therapist as well so I’m pushing into that aspect. With art therapy I want to help people by introducing them to art and helping them with however they’re feeling,” said Coleman. “I want to give advice about their issues because a lot of times people put their emotions into their art so that’s kinda the way I want to go.” 

Outside the art world, Coleman does a lot on campus. Currently she’s the vice president of the BSU, a member of Lambda Sigma Gamma, and works in the HUB. 

While she is a part of many different programs, Coleman manages to stay on top of it while also incorporating aspects from one program into another. 

“I honestly think it’s very inspiring she does all of these positions,” said Parra, “She always finds ways to integrate them, so when we have our sorority meetings she’ll tell us BSU will have this and this, or the HUB will have this and this.” Coleman’s involvement on campus and determination have not gone unnoticed by Sonoma State staff.

“Miana is a really great asset to this university,” Race and Ethnicity Programming Coordinator Kristen Reynolds said, “She works really well with everyone in our office and she’s also really good at articulating what her needs are. Miana is really flexible is capable of a lot.” 

While Coleman is kept busy with all her activities, she still finds time to enjoy her ceramics and appreciate the arts. She only wishes that more people showed an interest in the arts department. 

“I feel like the art department is very tucked away in a corner, and it’d be great for people to know about it and support art students. It’s a very beautiful area as well so people should go visit it or talk about it,” said Coleman

Coleman is a determined, artistic, and hardworking person. “I don’t think there are a lot of students like her, so I really appreciate having her here,” said Reynolds, “I can’t speak highly of Miana enough, and I wish more people were aware of how awesome she is.”