Diplomacy Students Visit Arthur Szyk Exhibit Through Fulbright’s America250 Initiative

Isaac Lucero 

Staff Writer

 

Benjamin Barry

International News Editor

 

On March 12, 2026, a group of Diplomacy students visited the exhibit of Polish-American and Jewish artist Arthur Szyk, alongside School of Diplomacy Professor Brendan Balestrieri and visiting Fulbright scholar Dr. Łukasz Kamieński. The trip was conducted in partnership with Fulbright’s America250 Initiative, which commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Fulbright’s America250 celebrates the impact and influence of American culture and innovation here in the United States and across the globe. 

This visit was an excellent opportunity for Diplomacy students to take what they have learned outside the classroom by celebrating Fulbright’s American250. Coordinator of the trip, Professor Balestrieri, said, “We are proud to support our students’ visit to the Arthur Szyk exhibit at the Museum of Jewish Heritage with visiting Fulbright Scholar Lukasz Kamienski. In doing so, we honor the spirit of Fulbright’s America250, where history, liberty, and civic purpose meet.”

Students learned about the life and work of Arthur Szyk, who was known for his political art during WWII that included themes of patriotism, defending human rights, and displaying his Jewish identity and heritage. Szyk’s art highlighted democratic values while simultaneously combating authoritarianism through the usage of his ‘art as a weapon,’ and viewing himself as a ‘soldier in art.’

Students were given an exclusive tour by Arthur Szyk expert Irvin Ungar, who has dedicated his life to sharing and spreading the word about Szyk’s work. Throughout the tour, students saw various pieces of Szyk’s work. Freshman student Megan Hay reflected on the visit saying, “One of the most impactful things to me was how he wasn’t just an artist reflecting on a different time or trying to put paintings in museums, but that he was living in the reality he depicted, and that his art ended up on the front page of newspapers and in books and in magazines. He used his talent not only for himself but to influence the world.”

Junior Diplomacy student, Stephen Plotke, also attended the trip. He said, “I thought the trip was very insightful into a corner of art and history I really was unfamiliar with.” Irvin Ungar discussed throughout the tour of the exhibit how famous Arthur Szyk was when he was alive, yet how unfortunately his notoriety has faded since then. Despite this, Ungar has made it his life’s mission to change this. 

Irvin Ungar gives talks and showcases Szyk’s work to many college groups around the country and the world. He said, “I am always excited about speaking to young people about Arthur Szyk, it just seems to me that he can teach us, through art, about ourselves and our place in the world.” About Arthur Szyk’s work, he remarked, “he used his art to fight against bigotry, racism, fascism, and anti-Semitism, and for justice and freedom.” During the exhibit showcase, Ungar discussed how his own identity as a Jew inspired him to begin dedicating his life to Szyk and his work.

Lastly, Aaron Hedvat, a junior Diplomacy student, had this to say about the tour: “What I took from Arthur Szyk was his story as a refugee fleeing Nazi persecution. His art evokes what he cares about most in the United States: the values of a liberal democracy. As the son of Iranian refugees, I felt connected to his sense of pride and duty to advocate for the country that took him in.” 

Clearly, this trip led by Professor Brendan Balestrieri and Dr. Łukasz Kamieński had a lasting impact on students and, for some, taught them a valuable lesson about an artist that they may have never known if not for Fulbright’s America250 Initiative.