Filled with emotion, 1991 alumna Lori Mellon Skinner described her life experiences that have led her back to the University of Dayton.

Her exhibit titled "Celebration of an Excellent Education" showcases various pieces of her work that tell the story of where she has been in her life.

"Artists create works of art for a variety of purposes, including homage or respect for something or someone who has impacted their art," said Nancy Parks, an assistant art education professor. "Lori Mellon Skinner does just that in her exhibition."

The exhibit will be on display now through Dec. 18 in the Marianist Hall Learning Space.

"The show starts off with a broken belt buckle," Skinner said. "I had quit high school at the end of ninth grade and was married the next year. When I started college, I was 23 and had three children."

Skinner had not thought about attending college until she was 21 and making belts.

A woman who owned a shop offered to start carrying her line of belts, and it was then that Skinner realized she did not have the knowledge to make her creations into a company.

It was only two years later that Skinner started college. After attending a different college for two years, Skinner transferred to UD with a scholarship to pay half her tuition.

She said she is more than grateful for the education she received at UD.

"UD is phenomenal," she said. "The first thing I'd say is you don't know what you learn at UD until you go out and use it."

Skinner said she has not turned down any opportunities since graduating from UD.

"UD doesn't just train you," she said. "They actually give you the confidence to go out and be successful."

Parks said she enjoys that Skinner recognizes how her education has shaped her future.

"Skinner celebrates the quality of her education as an art education student and the recognition of her achievements as an art teacher in the Vandalia Butler Schools," Parks said.

Coming back to the campus after teaching art for 14 years, running her own bakery and starting a non-profit organization, Skinner said she has been able to realize aspects of UD that she did not always notice while obtaining her undergraduate degree.

"I think the best thing about coming back to UD has been seeing all the crosses and pictures of Mary," she said. "It was very comforting to know that these things are still there and have always been there shining as a light on campus."

Skinner said that it is a comfort to know that no matter where she goes on campus, she is able to see some sign of UD's spiritual heritage, whether that be the blue roof and cross of the Immaculate Conception chapel, a cross on a building or a picture of Mary.

Also while back at UD, Skinner has been asked to put together a preliminary draft for an alumni book that contains pictures of the campus.

"I've been on campus four different times, for hours each time, to photograph it," she said. "I have about 80 percent of the book done, and now it is just a matter of a series of steps to make it into something real."

According to Parks, Skinner was recognized by the Ohio Art Education Association (OAEA) in 2000 as art teacher of the year.

In addition to teaching, Skinner also spends her time creating art and trying to start an organization that she has titled Avalon. She said she has put lot of energy into this project, which is similar to that of Ronald McDonald Houses.

"It [Avalon] is a place for an older caregiver, who has to come to town to take care of a sick parent or other person," she said. "Most people don't have money to stay in hotels and go out to eat when they return to take care of someone, so this provides them with a place to stay and food to eat."

Pieces in Skinner's exhibit represent many of these experiences that she has had and range in character from paintings of the Statue of Liberty - which Skinner has described as "impact art" and is meant to leave the audience thinking and changed - to clay sculptures and photography.

"The impact art is not about someone liking it or not liking it," she said. "It is about it changing something within you."

Through her exhibit, Skinner said she wanted to show UD students and others who will be viewing her work how much the university has prepared her for life and to express the idea that one must get out in the world and not let fears hold him or her back.

By doing this project, Skinner has been able to look back on her life and see what has brought her to where she is now.

"I am amazed with where I have come in 19 years," she said, "[I] am excited to see where the next 20 take me."