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“I was drawn to Eastern, first and foremost, by the students. I taught here first as an art history adjunct lecturer and I absolutely loved teaching the “Issues in Contemporary Art” course. The students were so enthusiastic about the course material. It was a true joy and privilege to learn with them, and I’m so thrilled to be back in this new role! Additionally, I am a strong advocate of public higher education. I completed my B.F.A. at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, which is the only public art school in the country. The experience profoundly changed my life. I received an excellent education and made lifelong friends and mentors for a fraction of what it would have cost me in a private institution. I’m really proud to help make that experience possible for other working-class families like mine.”
“This semester, I’m teaching ART250 Photography and New Media and ART345 Museums and Exhibitions, which is a writing intensive course for art majors. In addition to the specific disciplinary knowledge my students take away from these courses, I really hope they learn to think critically about what they see and hear in the world. One of the best things that studying art teaches you is how to think about your thinking. Museums and photography are both significant shapers of narratives so learning to think critically about them can make you a more aware and concerned citizen of the world.”
“As the director of the art gallery, I’m interested in how academic galleries can be engines of opportunity and equity in arts education. This February, I’m co-hosting a panel at the College Arts Association National Conference on how we create more diverse and equitable pipelines into the museum profession. Wearing my other “hat” as Assistant Professor of Art History, I’m working on my first book project, a visual culture of housing crisis, where I’m thinking about how images have shaped our ideas about home and who belongs there.”
In addition to the specific disciplinary knowledge my students take away from these courses, I really hope they learn to think critically about what they see and hear in the world.
“My best career advice is to build your network. The museum and gallery world is all about relationships and it is much smaller than you might think. As a student, you have access to free and low-cost museum association memberships and conferences. Go to the events. Introduce yourself. Ask people whose work you admire to meet with you to talk about the job. If you can afford to do an internship — do it (in fact, do a few). Many jobs come through networking and word of mouth so building that network really helps. Secondly, be impeccable with your word. Everyone knows everyone in this business. It takes a long time to build a good reputation and only a few moments to wreck it. Work hard and be a kind and generous colleague — this goes far in an industry where everyone is overworked and underpaid!”
“Stay in touch! Your professors, coaches, advisors, friends, etc. are part of your professional network. I personally love hearing from students after they’ve left! Don’t be afraid to reach out and just check-in, ask for advice, let us know you’re job hunting, etc. The network is vital and you never know where your next opportunity will come from!”