The Color of Money: Student Curates Exhibition on Currency and Culture
Student Snapshot: Allie Gonzalez ’26
As a curatorial intern at the Trout Gallery, Allie Gonzalez took on a sizable project: curating a professional-quality art exhibition for the gallery, running through April 4. With guidance from Trout staff, Allie developed a theme for the show, selected artworks, researched and wrote an exhibition catalogue and wall labels and designed the exhibition flow. She’s also sharpened public speaking, planning and writing skills as a Trout educational intern.
Hometown:
Lancaster, Pa.
High school:
McCaskey High School.
Major:
American studies, with a minor in art history.
Best thing about my Dickinson experience:
My favorite things about Dickinson are my amazing friends and the community they have created for me here. I’ve met so many people from so many different backgrounds and learned about their backgrounds and stories.
Best thing about my major:
I love the interdisciplinary nature of American studies. I can combine so many interests and analyze issues using a wide array of skills and viewpoints.
Favorite class:
Some of my favorites are the art history classes offered here at Dickinson, which allow me to learn about major historical events from around the world by looking at visual representations of these events.
About my internship:
I am a curatorial intern at the Trout Gallery. I have also worked as a museum education intern at the gallery. Working in museum education taught me a lot about public speaking and how to teach others in a way that is very accessible and easy for all to understand. I’ve also had the wonderful opportunity to curate my own show; I’ve learned a lot about how to write wall labels and catalog materials, both of which take on a very different format than writing an essay for class.
About my research:
When my show, "A Measure of Value," was first conceptualized, we deployed a very topical view of the relationship between art and money, focusing on how the art market views this relationship. But as we developed the show, we realized that it had to be about more than just the monetary value of art. We needed to highlight money’s artistic, intellectual, political and cultural value as well. We asked: 'How can we learn a lot about societal values by examining the intersections between art and money?' "A Measure of Value" is a very interdisciplinary show that questions what it means to value art in a multitude of ways and from many different perspectives.
Clubs and organizations:
Dickinson Dump Trucks Ultimate Frisbee Team.
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Published March 18, 2026