83 PARTING WORDS DAVID DEMPSEY, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR MUSEUM SERVICES When David Dempsey (with granddaughter Callie, above) arrived at SCMA for a month-long assignment in 1974, he had no idea the twists and turns—and long tenure—that lay ahead. In June 2017, David retired from a role that encompassed conservation, facilities management, visitor services and his original career path of teaching. Here are five things about David: HE WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING Well, not literally, but the chance that I could land a job that was such a fulfilling blend of my interests seemed just as improbable. I’d been to museums a lot as a child, and I always loved to build things, but I was studying to go into education. When this opportunity came up at SCMA, the museum took a risk and hired me as a temp—it turned out I really enjoyed it, and I was good at it, and they kept me. That really changed my whole life. WHAT HE’S PROUD OF We have an amazing group of students who have gone on to careers in conservation. In fact, I’m willing to bet that of any college, Smith has the greatest number of alumnae working in this field across the country and around the world. Some I’ve helped to train, others did it on their own. HE’S NOT A FAN OF HEIGHTS Changing light bulbs 25 feet in the air was never my idea of a good time, but I grew into it over the years. I’ve always had a lot of assistants, students and part-time staff, but it never felt right asking someone to do something I wasn’t able to do myself. So I got on that lift. SOMETHING HE WILL MISS It was great working with so many different departments across campus—art, but also chemistry and the sciences, history and others. Smith was one of the first institutions— and perhaps most successful—to do this innovative work across disciplines, integrating the museum into the educational experience. HE NOT ONLY WROTE THE BOOK ON MUSEUM SERVICES—NOW HE CAN BIND IT, TOO I’m looking forward to retirement, and doing some travel— [last summer] I went out West to see the eclipse, to Wyoming and Montana. I’m doing more woodworking, and taking a course in bookbinding. And I am really enjoying spending more time with my grandchildren.