2 FROM THE DIRECTOR MUCH LIKE THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES revealed in our groundbreaking Oplontis exhibition, many extraordinary things were brought into vivid relief this past year. I’m thinking in particular of the unparal- leled teaching and learning opportunities created here at the museum; the power of partnership; the evolving role of the museum in the campus community; the increasing vitality of peer-to-peer outreach and social media; and the incredible leadership of our alumnae. Our renewed mission to connect with art, ideas and each other has brought a clarity and energy that’s been inspiring, and we are proud to share some recent highlights on the pages that follow. This year’s exhibitions embodied so much of what we strive for in our work. Eric Avery: AIDS Work grew out of our collection, and also fostered rich collaborations with student organizations on campus and a deep and direct connection with the artist. When in Rome and Leisure & Luxury in the Age of Nero: The Villas of Oplontis Near Pompeii each opened up spec- tacular opportunities for faculty scholars across the Five Colleges to create firsthand encounters with very rare material. To see art activate learning in such original and transformative ways has been incredibly rewarding. Supporting innovative pedagogy is a priority at the museum, and we have many wonderful stories to tell. Alex Seggerman’s colloquium students helped develop the cataloguing and research on the Elinor Lander Horwitz ‘50 Collection of Islamic Art, a recent gift, and created the first interpretive display of this material; Sujane Wu’s class studied Chinese paintings from the collection in conjunction with the study of Chinese poetry and literature; Barbara Kellum’s students learned about ancient Rome from primary sources in the galleries; and Jordan Crouser’s computer science students looked at data visualization using the collection. We’re seeing a remarkable convergence of faculty creativity and museum capacity. On page 20, Floyd Cheung reflects eloquently on his experience teaching with the collection as a professor of English language and literature and American studies and as director of the Sherrerd Center for Teaching and Learning. As a teaching museum, we are accountable to rising generations of students who will shape the future of our field and it’s imperative that we keep pace. Our ability to do so is enhanced by our post-baccalaureate fellowship program for recent college graduates inter- ested in pursuing a career in the creative sector. Their fresh perspectives energize our work and enable us to expand our programming in really imaginative ways. Initially these fellowships focused on museum education and curatorial work, and more recently we added a third opportunity in museum marketing and communications, FROM THE DIRECTOR