SXU Communication Professor Featured in Exhibition at Beverly Arts Center
Saint Xavier University (SXU) adjunct communication professor and alumna Kelly White 07 will have a new exhibit, "Cheers to the South Side: A South Side Irish Pub Exhibit," opening Friday, March 13, at the Beverly Arts Center.
Timed just before St. Patrick's Day, "Cheers to the South Side" centers on the warmth and familiarity of neighborhood Irish pubs and evokes a deep sense of nostalgia, neighborhood pride and the unmistakable feeling of coming home. White was inspired by her deep connection to Chicago's South Side and was struck by the sense of community in the city's Irish pride.
"In this exhibit, I focused on the architectural character of South Side Irish pubs, capturing familiar buildings that residents pass by every day that evoke a deep sense of nostalgia. The photographs highlight the charm and history embedded in these neighborhood landmarks, reflecting both their enduring presence and the memories they hold for generations of patrons," said White.
For White, the project is as personal as it is professional.
"This exhibit represents the sense of camaraderie on the South Side and the fact that some things never change. You can move away and come back, and the neighborhood is just as you remembered it growing up. The images chronicle the South Side's unique cultural heartbeat, showing spaces that have weathered decades of change yet remain rooted in tradition," said White.
What struck her most while working on the project was that continuity.
"Faces may change, ownership may pass to the next generation, but the feeling these spaces evoke remains constant. There's history in those walls. People celebrate birthdays there, grieve losses there, plan fundraisers there. It's where life happens,” said White.
White, who has been serving as an adjunct at Saint Xavier for the past two years, teaches the communication courses Newswriting and Reporting and Feature Writing. She strives to ensure her students benefit from the depth of her professional experience, bringing real-world newsroom insights and industry standards directly into the classroom. With nearly two decades in the industry, White is also an editor and journalist at Southwest Regional Publishing and has contributed to outlets such as the Chicago Tribune and Daily Southtown.
Teaching at the college level has long been a professional goal of White's, who is driven by a deep desire to share her knowledge and passion for journalism with the next generation of journalists, reporters and photographers.
"As a reporter, photographer, and photojournalist, I am committed to bringing stories to life through both print and visual media while mentoring students to do the same with integrity, curiosity and confidence," said White.
White credits SXU for laying the foundation for her journalism career and believes that the support and guidance of her professors was pivotal.
"As a staff writer for The Xaverite, I covered campus and community news, gaining experience that continues to influence my work today. I also developed a strong interest in visual storytelling through my photography coursework, which sparked a lasting passion for the medium," said White. "The photography courses I took at Saint Xavier as a student really drew me in. I fell in love with the camera and developing my own prints. As an artist, I often feel I see things others may miss or simply walk past. I can bring the beauty of simplicity to life through the lens of a camera."
White hopes to take on additional classes at Saint Xavier and become more involved on campus. She looks forward to holding more photography exhibitions and pursuing more creative work. She is also currently working on a novel she hopes to complete by the end of the year.
"Balancing teaching, photography and writing allows me to explore multiple forms of storytelling and continue growing as both an artist and a journalist -- and quite honestly, I would not have it any other way."
White's exhibit will run throughout the month of March, and the community is invited to attend the opening from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, March 13. The Beverly Arts Center is located at 2407 W. 111th Street in Chicago.