M.A. in Professional Studies Student Deneen Underwood Creates Inclusive, Multisensory Art Exhibit Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Meet Deneen Underwood '25

Job Title & Employer

Corporate Outreach Manager and Art Teacher, DePaul School for Hearing and Speech

Major/Program

Professional Studies-M.A.

Graduation

2025

Now Living In

Carnegie, Pa.

Hobbies & Interests

Drawing, painting, photography, art history from around the world and every era, sewing, quilting, music, concerts, old films, travel and family time.

 

 

 

Twenty-seven years ago, Deneen Underwood stopped taking graduate classes because of scheduling conflicts. She made a promise to herself to get back into the classroom once her children were grown, and she's kept that promise. Underwood took advantage of Point Park's transfer-friendly graduate degree completion program, the M.A. in Professional Studies. She'll finish up in just a couple of months, finally fulfilling her goal of earning a master's degree. Learn about Deneen's experience and her upcoming capstone project in the Q&A below.

Why did you enroll in the M.A. in Professional Studies program?

While living in San Diego, I previously attended San Diego State University graduate school, majoring in art history during the 1996-97 school year. Unfortunately, almost none of the classes were available at night, and I was unable to quit my job at the time. I always intended to return to graduate school after my sons graduated from college. My youngest graduated last May, and I began at Point Park in July. Since it had been 27 years since I had been a student, I was a little nervous, but it's been a great experience.

The program allows you to choose two areas of study and combine them for a unique degree. What disciplines did you choose?

I chose public relations as one discipline. Considering my previous work and credits, creative expression became my second discipline. Both concentrations will prove important in my career, from public engagement and art instruction to my freelance work as a graphic/web designer.

How will the M.A. in Professional Studies help you meet your career goals?

In my current role, I am responsible for increasing donations, stakeholder engagement, public awareness of our mission and corporate participation in Pennsylvania's Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program.

The professional studies program aligns with my career goals in development, marketing, and art instruction because it offers the flexibility to design a curriculum that combines my passion for arts education with practical skills in marketing and development. Creative expression allows me to explore innovative ways to inspire students through art and to develop inclusive, community-focused projects that elevate institutional visibility, connect with donors, celebrate student creativity and make art more accessible and meaningful.

Tell us about a favorite professor or class experience.

That's tough. They were all great! I learned a lot in all of the classes — Web Publishing, Digital Image Editing, Communication Theory, PR/AD Writing, Organization Development and Entrepreneurship, Seminar in Professional Studies and Capstone Proposal Seminar. The capstone project will be my last class in Summer II.

Describe the art exhibit you’re working on for your capstone project.

"Bridging Perceptions" is a multisensory art experience that brings together students with hearing and visual differences to celebrate creativity, collaboration and accessibility in the arts.

The exhibit will feature visual art pieces inspired by lighthouses from around the world, created by students from DePaul School for Hearing and Speech, with immersive ocean soundscapes created by students from the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children.

More than 20 collaborative and individual art pieces depict lighthouses from around the world using a variety of mediums, including acrylic, watercolor, gouache, colored pencil, markers, Sharpies, chalk, charcoal and cut paper. Eighteen ocean soundscapes include wind chimes, wood blocks, ocean drums and rain sticks. The exhibit features contributions from over 40 students, including 23 from DePaul. I began with my students in April. They were enthusiastic and serious about creating the best pieces possible. They did an amazing job, and we are excited about celebrating inclusive art spaces and building a lasting collaboration with Western PA School for Blind Children. The project is an opportunity to expand visibility for both schools, not only among families and educators, but also with elected officials, potential donors and media.

The exhibit will take place on July 12 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Studio in the Andrew Carnegie Library, 300 Beechwood Boulevard, Carnegie.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I graduated from Point Park College in 1993 with a B.A. in Visual Art and Design, so it made sense that I would return to Point Park University for graduate school. There was no internet when I was previously at Point Park, but it took very little time to get used to the online class format.

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