Finishing What She Started

Molly Vacha will receive her BASA degree in May 2025 but her art story began in 1975. We sat down with Molly for a quick Q & A about her journey as a School of the Arts student, again.

The opening reception for the exhibition is Friday, May 2 from 5-7pm in the gallery. Free Admission. The Weber Fine Arts is located at 6505 University Dr S on the Dodge St. Campus.

Bachelor of Arts in Studio Arts

May 2025

My husband and I moved to Omaha when I was in my 20’s. While most of my time was spent raising our 6 children (five of whom graduated from UNO/UNL), I intermittently took night classes at UNO and continued to pursue a Studio Art degree. Nine grandchildren later I am finally graduating. I returned to UNO to finish my Studio Art degree, partly because I wanted to get back into the art scene in Omaha, partly because I really like to learn new things...but mostly because I wanted to finish what I started 50 year ago.

A couple of my favorite classes that I took over these last three years have been sculpture with Sophia Ruppert and an independent painting class with Mark Gilbert.

In 2021, I was on a silent retreat at the Benedictine monastery in Schuyler NE. In one of our rare small group sharing times I brought up the crazy notion of returning to UNO to finish my Studio Art degree. I was blown away by the number of people who encouraged me; many of whom had similar stories. The big question they posed to me was: why not go? What are the obstacles that would prevent you? I couldn’t come up with any obstacles but my own reluctance or fear of failure. So, my advice would be something like this: Follow what brings you life, what brings you joy, but work. Work and fulfillment go hand in hand. There can be too many choices blaring at students from all directions these days, as if there is always something bigger and brighter just around the bend. I am not a big believer in that ambiguous thing we call talent, that can be a cop out, as if some magical thing is going to happen to you because you’ve got talent. I feel inclination might be a better word to use, because if you have an inclination towards something you will spend time pursuing it, and if you pursue it, you will become good at it, but it doesn’t happen overnight.

The best thing about being a School of the Arts student is the faculty, administrators and fellow (much younger than me) students whom I have met along the way. Everyone has been patient, kind and have gone out of their way to help me succeed. While I realize that my future enjoying watercolor, ink and pastel is up in the air because of my Parkinson’s diagnoses two years ago, I have absolutely no regrets about the time I’ve spent at UNO, it’s kept me moving and grooving so far. I found I was a much better student in my 30s and beyond than when I was younger. I think that is partly due to the fact that I enjoy the challenge and that I am simply grateful for the opportunity to learn. I tell people it took me 50 years to finally finish my math and science requirements!

Stay focused, and don’t get distracted. Stay on the path you chose for yourself.

Congratulations Molly!