Oliver Norkus

For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to be a teacher. I had a few amazing teachers growing up as a child that were able to keep me engaged and immersed in their classes, which is insane because I can barely focus on anything now at 18 years old, let alone at 8 years old. But my teachers were my role models, my caregivers, and my biggest support. Especially after I came out my sophomore year of high school. My teachers were the first signs of support that I was shown. I want to show my gratitude to the world for allowing me to have such wonderful educators in my life by becoming that for someone else who really may need it.

I've been drawing for a long time. No joke, like a LONG time. But my first official drawing classes outside of elementary school started during my senior year of high school. I wasn't thinking about pursuing an art career at the time (I was gravitating more towards careers circulating around social studies or social science back then) until I actually BEGAN Drawing and Painting I, and I realized "Hey man, you love this, you should TEACH this." And here I am now, a freshman at SIU with an art major! Yay!

I will be working on demand at Target as of August 10th (meaning when I come back to my hometown for breaks, I will be working there). During the summer, this is my part time job as well, as I don't live in Carbondale until August 15th-18th when I move in to my dorm.

If you need to get ahold of me, my personal email is olivernorkus2004@gmail.com, and my phone number is 630-538-2712. I just put in a request to have my SIU email changed to my preferred name instead of my birthname, that will be changing soon.