Dreams on Hold: Undocumented Students the Subject of Honors Thesis Exhibition

Ariel Romero

Ariel Romero tackled a timely topic, undocumented students, in his honors thesis, which consists of a series of posters and a brochure. They are currently on display in the Honors College wing of Gearhart Hall.

Welcome to America, eight posters exploring the plight of undocumented college students, is currently on display in the Honors College wing of Gearhart Hall. The posters, along with a brochure, comprise the honors thesis for fine arts/graphic design major Ariel Romero, who selected the topic based on his personal experience.

Romero moved to Arkansas from Honduras at age 6, after his missionary parents felt called to focus their ministry on the state's growing Latino community. 

"I went to elementary school in Prairie Grove, middle school in Farmington, and high school in Fayetteville - America was my home. There was no such thing as 'undocumented' or 'illegal,'" he recalled. 

Romero first became aware of his undocumented status when he had to pass on getting a driver's license at age 16. He graduated as valedictorian of Haas Hall Academy, the state's top-ranked high school, but had trouble enrolling at the University of Arkansas because he had no social security number.

"The older you get, the more obstacles there are in your way," he said. Romero's story has been more difficult than most. After his mother, a chaplain at Tyson Foods, died when he was 17, his family experienced homelessness for a time. Romero "couched it" with friends, borrowed textbooks, and had trouble getting to campus after the family car broke down. Having no laptop ensured many late nights at the studio and in the computer lab. Romero credits his faith for helping him persevere through tough times. 

"At the end of the day, there's always a way to get things done," he said. These hardships encouraged him to share his experience, and that of others. "I thought, 'you know what, maybe I can talk about this.' To me, design needs purpose. I want to address a life issue that affects a lot of people."

Ariel Romero

Mentored by Marty Maxwell Lane, assistant professor of art, and assisted by Rafael Arciga, senior assistant director of admissions, and Ana Barker, an academic adviser in the Graduate School, Romero set out to find other undocumented students to interview — no easy task, given that these students must stay in the shadows. He also surveyed 100 students enrolled in political science and government classes about their perceptions of undocumented students, and was dismayed by the feedback he received. 

"Some of the comments were pretty harsh, but people don't know, and I can't blame them for not knowing," he said ruefully. Romero was more encouraged by his interviews with fellow undocumented students: "The greatest thing is that despite all the challenges these individuals have faced, there is still hope that things will get better."

In the posters, Romero counters common myths and misperceptions with statistics and facts. He uses a marbling technique, where pigment is dropped into a medium and combed to create patterns, as a metaphor for the undocumented experience in America. 

"I felt that was an accurate portrait of immigration in the U.S. It may not feel like it fits, but it's beautiful when it comes together," he said. Romero also profiled undocumented students at the U of A in a brochure available to viewers at the Honors College information desk. 

Things are looking up for Romero. He recently obtained a work permit through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy, which allows him to "live here with some dignity." But with graduation looming, he answers the question "what's next?" with a shrug. 

"That is the question! Ideally I would like to attend graduate school and get as much learning as I can. Right now, I'm not sure where that will be or what it will look like."

Romero's posters will be on display in Gearhart Hall through May 2017.