The Impact of a Scholarship: Jet Plutko ’25 on Studying Art History in Italy
Jet Plutko poses for a photo in Rome with the Colosseum in the background. (Courtesy of Jet Plutko)
This is part of a series of stories highlighting the impact of donors on campus life ahead of Chatham University Day of Giving on April 22, 2026.
In her art history course at Chatham, Jet Plutko ’25 learned about some of the great works by the painter Artemisia Gentileschi. When she studied abroad in Italy last year, she saw them in person.
“It literally changed my life, because I’ve been studying her since I got to Chatham,” she said.
Plutko, who’s from Altoona, PA, came to Chatham University because she was interested in the art program. Here, she was able to study different techniques, like throwing clay and drawing with charcoal.
Plutko stands for a photo as the sun goes down over the Italian coast. (Courtesy of Jet Plutko)
She also fell in love with painting and was encouraged by professors Mark Bender and James Louks to improve her skills and continue pursuing the medium, especially portraiture.
She knew she wanted to study abroad. “I was super interested in studying art history in the heart of art history,” Plutko said.
Receiving the Leslie Hilfman Hume Scholarship was what allowed Plutko to spend a summer term last year in one of the world’s great art cities: Florence, where she studied at the Santa Reparata International School of Art (SRISA).
In class at SRISA, she learned about the history of the Italian mafia and visited important sites in mafia history, and she continued to study art history.
It was at the Uffizi Galleries where she got to see works by Gentileschi, the iconic Italian baroque painter, and other greats. “It was a cool experience to see her work in person and just stare at it and appreciate it physically, rather than on a projector or a computer screen.”
Plutko also took time to explore life outside of the classroom, too. “I spent my time learning how Italians live and how different it is from American culture,” she said. That included traveling to cities around Florence to get a sense of the beauty and history outside of the city center.
She had the best pizza of her life at Gustapizza, a spot famous for its wood-fired, Neapolitan-style pizzas, and enjoyed pasta made with local fungi when it was in season.
After graduating from Chatham in the fall, Plutko made a return trip to Florence in March 2026. She said she wants to come back to the city to obtain her master’s degree at an art school there.
It’s all thanks to the help of Leslie Hilfman Hume’s scholarship, Plutko said.
“If it wasn’t for that scholarship, I wouldn’t have been able to even go to Florence,” she said. “I met lifelong friends, who are Italian and have lived there their whole lives. They feel like lifelong friends now.
“I just hope more students are able to experience another country with the help of alums and other donors.”
The generous support of donors like Leslie Hilfman Hume make experiences like this possible for Chatham students. Consider donating during Chatham University’s annual Day of Giving on April 22, 2026. Visit givecampus.com to learn more.