For as long as she can remember, third-generation Cane Hannah Kuker always loved art, so when the time came to choose her path in college, she knew art had to be part of it.
This week, Hannah will graduate with a dual degree in finance and legal studies from Miami Herbert Business School and studio art from the College of Arts & Sciences with departmental honors in both degrees and recognized as the “Most Outstanding Student in Legal Studies” by Miami Herbert, not only for her academic accomplishments but for the interdisciplinary bridge she’s built between the arts and the law.
Bridging the gap
Kuker always knew her end goal was to become a lawyer.
It wasn’t until she met former Miami Herbert business law professor and current interim dean of the School of Law, Patricia Abril, that she discovered how she could combine her interdisciplinary passions by exploring the intersection of intellectual property law and the rapidly evolving landscape of AI-generated artwork.
Under the mentorship of professors Patricia Abril and Joseph Avery, Kuker authored an award-winning legal paper, “Inspiration Versus Infringement: Why the Right to Use Copyrighted Images for Referential Purposes by AI Should Not Be Held to Higher or Different Standards Currently in Effect,” which critiques the legal standards applied to AI training datasets. The paper, authored during her sophomore year, was presented at the Academy of Legal Studies in Business Annual International Conference in San Diego and has received national recognition and has since been cited by international legal scholars. She was one of five students in the country to be selected to present their papers.
Consistently demonstrating her commitment to excellence, Kuker is also the first undergraduate student in over a decade to pursue a Business Law Departmental Honors Thesis at Miami Herbert, which entails a year-long research project culminating in a publishable law review. For her paper, Hannah has written a statutory recommendation for copyright law to create a framework that ensures transparency and traceability in AI training data for infringement litigation. She is also working on a companion Departmental Honors Thesis in Studio Art, which further reflects her interdisciplinary focus, exploring legal identity and visual authorship in the digital age.
“I always knew I wanted to balance business and art,” Kuker said when asked about integrating two seemingly divergent worlds. “Miami’s art scene made it the perfect place to do that, and both the art and business departments here really worked together to help me succeed.”
Making an Impact
Kuker’s impact has extended well beyond the classroom. She served on the Undergraduate Dean’s Advisory Council since her freshman year, contributing to marketing strategies for the business school and helping revise the curriculum based on student feedback. At the University of Miami Hillel, she worked as a graphic design intern for all four years and also helped run Art from the Heart, a nonprofit initiative she started while in middle school that brings art therapy to pediatric hospital patients through craft kits and in-person visits.
Her artistic talent has been featured in high-profile exhibitions, including the Juried Student Exhibition at the Lowe Art Museum, where this past April she was honored with the William Oberman Family Endowed Drawing Award, and a display at SCOPE International Contemporary Art Show, a sister event to Art Basel. She also ran her own business, Kuker’s Kreations, offering custom designs, logos, and websites, all while completing internships at top marketing firms each summer.
Reflecting on her time at the University of Miami, Kuker says she is most proud of bringing business students to the university’s art galleries and artists into conversations about the law.
“It is truly the most wonderful privilege to be able to bring together students from all walks of life and academic backgrounds,” she expressed. “UM has made such a diversified educational experience possible.”
With her undergraduate journey nearing its end, Kuker is now preparing for law school, though she hasn’t yet decided where she’ll attend. Wherever she lands, she’s confident her future lies at the junction of creativity and justice.
For Kuker, the journey has been more than academic, it’s been personal. She follows in the footsteps of her grandparents, parents, and uncle, all UM alumni, with two younger siblings currently enrolled.
“Being a Cane has always been part of my identity,” she said. “But I’ve made it my own.”
