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Picking up a paintbrush has helped Nadia Zamora Hernández communicate her life’s experiences in ways words could not.

“Making art, at least for me, is about having conversations,” she says. “It’s about sharing all the complexities of our lived experiences in a different language. It’s fostered much of my personal healing — I find it necessary for survival.”

While completing her BFA in Art & Design at the ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ over the last five years, Zamora Hernández decided to harness her passion for art and human connection, extending it beyond her canvas and into the community.

This past year, she served as president of the Visual Art Student Association (VASA), where she cultivated a safe space for arts students to exchange ideas, seek support, learn new skills and engage in community-driven projects.

“VASA is the heart and soul of the Arts program,” she says. “It’s a place where students come to build genuine connections with one another and celebrate each other’s wins. I truly believe community is the most important aspect of being a student.”

During her term as president, VASA partnered with the to create a collaborative mural project featuring artwork from more than forty students, all of whom received compensation for their unique contributions. The student association also secured funding for a project to develop an artist zine, which launched this past May.

“There is no art without community, and there is no community without art,” says Zamora Hernández. “It’s important to organize events that nurture the community in which we exist, and it's always special to do so in a way that shares what we love doing most.”

Zamora Hernández believes these types of projects also help equip students with valuable skills in preparation for graduation.

“Students learn to work as a team, navigate leadership roles, manage budgets, organize events, curate exhibitions and connect with working professionals,” she says. “Having the opportunity to put your practice at work alongside a group of people who are hoping to see you thrive is a great way to send you off once graduation time comes.”

April Dean, Galleries & Exhibitions Manager for the U of A’s Department of Art & Design, says Nadia’s empathy and courage have made her a stand-out student leader in the program.

“Nadia works with a great deal of empathy toward her peers and is a strong ally and advocate for students within VASA and beyond,” says Dean. “She is a talented, hardworking artist, and she continues to question the status quo, foster community relationships, and be brave and vocal when things go wrong.”

As she has throughout her degree, Zamora Hernández continues to be a strong advocate for the BFA Art & Design program.

“The U of A’s BFA Art & Design program has great facilities — the printmaking department, specifically, is one of the finest, and we’re very lucky that it happens to be here in Edmonton,” she says. “I’m not sure people are aware of how great and important this program is.”

As she reflects on her journey in preparation for convocation this June, Zamora Hernández shares advice on persistence for prospective students.

“Anybody who ever joins the BFA program does it for one reason: their love of creating art. One must not forget this when difficulties persist,” she says. “The pursuit of an education in art is about the growth of a relationship between you and the work you are making.”

Zamora Hernández’s latest work was displayed at the 2025 Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition at the FAB Gallery in April. Upon graduating this spring, she looks forward to slowing down her daily pace of life.

“As much as I have enjoyed my time in university and the demanding process of it all, I would like to slow down for the time being,” she says. “That’s not to say I don’t have many plans or ambitions in the near future, I have many. But I’m looking forward to taking the necessary time to reset.”