Doug White enjoys sculpting on different levels.
By day, White helps shape the college experience of students with disabilities or chronic health conditions who live in the University’s residence halls. By night, he engages in his passion: sculpture.
White, senior housing advisor, who has been at the University for 30 years, works with students who have special needs. He makes sure that these students receive appropriate residence hall accommodations.
With the arrival of a new freshman class, so too comes a new program for White and University Housing. Starting with the 2003-04 application, students could indicate their food allergies. White works with Housing nutrition specialist Ruth Blackburn to educate students about dining options and, in some cases, arrange for special services.
“The response this year from students and their families is one of pleasant surprise that an institution of this size would pay attention to such details,” says White, who adds that the program is rare among university housing departments. “There is now a sub-group of people with significant food allergies who are educated about eating in the residence halls and, as a result, are safer.”
White shares e-mails from some residents: “I was nervous as I prepared to leave home, and really appreciate your help,” and “Thank you very much for taking time out to keep me safe.”
At the end of the work day, with housing problems out of his hands, White takes artwork into his hands. An accomplished sculptor who has had works exhibited as far away as the Municipal Museum of Wroclaw, Poland, White has spent more than a decade honing his craft in figure and portrait sculpture, bas-relief (low relief) and medals.
“It has become a consuming passion for me,” says White, who displays several sculptures in his office, which shares a window with the Student Activities Building atrium. “It has been very exciting for me. The study of sculpture has put me in touch with history.”
White says he spends at least one day a week sculpting, and shares studio space in Ann Arbor with other sculptors. He plans to do more figure pieces and says his fantasy is to create a large sculpture for a public space.
“If you stay with it, something good will come of it,” says White, who cannot identify a favorite piece from his portfolio. “It is kind of proverbial, but the best piece one does is always the next.”
