Art exhibition offers portraits of Upward Scholars members

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The “Spring Upward” show features portraits of 10 students who worked with nonprofit Upward Scholars, including Delmy, who wanted to improve her English to better communicate with her son’s teachers and is also studying to be a radiologic technician. Photo by Mark Tuschman

A current exhibition at Menlo Park’s Art Ventures Gallery highlights the stories of almost a dozen community members who are part of the Upward Scholars program, a nonprofit that offers education and career development support for adult immigrants.

The “Spring Upward” exhibition, on view at Art Ventures through June 15, features 10 black-and-white portraits of Upward Scholars members, taken by Menlo Park photographer Mark Tuschman, and shares some of their personal experiences and insights in accompanying text.

“Spring Upward” tells the stories of students such as Isabel, who is studying to be a paralegal and said she aims to help other people the way that the program helped her, or Delmy, whose goal was twofold: to improve her English to better communicate with her son’s teachers and to pursue a career as a radiologic technician.

The exhibition, initially planned for last year to celebrate Upward Scholars’ 10th anniversary, was put on hold due to the pandemic, according to a press release.

“It is precisely our diversity and multiculturalism that makes America unique. When Upward Scholars asked me to document some of their students, I eagerly agreed. The motivation of the students I photographed was quite inspiring,” Tuschman said in the press release.

“Spring Upward” is on view through June 15 at Art Ventures, 888 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park. For more information, visit artventuresgallery.com.