BENNINGTON — Bennington College alum Julia Duva, a 2025 graduate, was recently awarded the prestigious International Sculpture Center's Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award for 2025, having been nominated during her senior year by Bennington College faculty member John Umphlett.

"This is my third year as a faculty member," explained Umphlett, a visual arts faculty member and sculptor at the college who, prior to 2022, was employed by the college as a technical instructor. "Coming in [as a fulltime faculty member], I was looking at the opportunities for students who've come up to their senior year, they've worked on their advanced work, and they're going to graduate – what are the opportunities for them?"

Looking at what the next steps for artists might be – and

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