As a Quinnipiac student, Deborah Magliaro Colton '79 enjoyed drawing Sleeping Giant State Park. Years later, she's drawing attention to her Houston-based private art gallery.

The gallery, which opened in 2004, hosts six exhibitions a year. It showcases strong historical and visionary contemporary artists whose work encompasses painting, sculpture, video and photography. One exhibition featured work by Yoko Ono, along with more than 20 other artists.

Colton considers the gallery a perfect blend of her artistic passion and business savvy. "The gallery goes back to my roots of liking art, learning, using leadership skills and the beginnings of my business education attained at Quinnipiac," she said.

Colton majored in business administration and marketing management. She honed her leadership skills as a representative on the Student Board of Trustees, president of the Marketing Club, class representative and student government president.

After graduating magna cum laude, she held several marketing and sales management positions.

In 1996, Colton and a friend opened Iklektik Designs, an Asian antique and art export company, while living abroad in Tokyo.

Four years later when Colton had returned to the U.S., she received a request from the American Embassy in Bangkok to coordinate a Thai contemporary art exhibit for an international business forum in Houston. That led to arranging commercial Asian art exhibits in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle, as well as public spaces in Houston.

"I've found you need to use your skills, follow through, and base everything on honesty and integrity," Colton said. "Through hard work and good intentions, you can turn a business dream or vision into reality."