Students in the Art program have plenty of opportunities to expand their knowledge of the study of art, as well as opportunities to show their own. Some of these include:

• Install and curate exhibitions in the Rice Gallery
• Meet and speak with visiting local and national artists that exhibit in the Rice Gallery
• Through the Art Club we have an active visiting artist program. Some of which include Michelle La Perier, Robert Jones, Dana Reifler, William Bergman.
• Frequent trips to the art galleries and museums in Baltimore, Washington D.C. and New York City.
• Students have the opportunity to show their work in the annual Kathryn E. Wentz Juried Exhibition, the annual Salon des Refusés held at the Carroll Arts Center, the Departmental Honors exhibition, and the annual culminating Senior Show.
• Other exhibition opportunities have included shows at local coffee shops, and an arts fundraiser for the Lisa Gibbons Alzheimer's Foundation at The Temple in Frederick, MD.

Each year students are eligible to submit their work for consideration for the following Art awards:

• The Wentz Most Promising Freshman Art Award
  Endowed by Harold Wentz, this award is determined by the faculty of the Department of Art and Art History.  The award goes to the student that, as a freshman, shows the most promise.
• Outstanding Sophomore Award
  A two hundred dollar award (for art supplies and/or books from the school book store which can be used during the junior and/or senior years of the recipient.)  A 3.0 GPA in your art classes is required.
• The Wasyl Palijczuk Art Award
  Open to juniors who are art majors.  This award is given to an outstanding art major who is currently completing their junior year.
• The M. Louise Shipley Art Award for Excellence
  This prestigious award was initiated in 1974 by Wasyl Palijczuk to recognize the many years of service by M. Louise Shipley, as a teacher and department head.  The purpose of the award is to recognize the outstanding art student of the year and encourage others to strive for excellence in art.  The award is in the amount of $250 cash.  The candidate must be a graduating senior art major and must have met the requirements for departmental honors.

Students who receive a 3.5 or better in all Art courses and maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA by the end of their junior year are qualified for the entrance into the Departmental Honors Program. In order to receive Departmental Honors (awarded at the Graduation ceremony), you need the following:

• Completion of one of the academic tracks within the Department of Art or Art History with a 3.5 GPA for all art courses and a 3.0 GPA in the student’s total record at McDaniel College.
• The Completion of a 4-credit special studies project in either Studio Art or Art History. The Grade for this project should be an A. Candidates with projects in Art History are expected to present a public lecture outlining the result of their research.
• The submission of a written resume and statement of your eligibility for departmental honors.
• Recommendation by one of the faculty members in the department.  All requirements for departmental honors are to be completed by March 1st of the Senior year. (Most projects are discussed in the early fall of the Senior year,
  in order to be completed by March 1st)