b'parting wordsmaggie neweyAssociate Director for Academic Programsand Public EducationMaggie Newey has had a hand in some of the EXCAVATING THE IMAGEmuseums biggest initiatives over the past decade In an annual program I helped develop with the Kahn helping to launch the Museums Concentration Liberal Arts Institute, the museum hosted faculty from program, collaborating on the reinstallation of the the Five Colleges for a two-day symposium dedicated permanent galleries and guiding the development ofto in-depth exploration of one particular work. This the most recent strategic plan, among them. But stands out to me as the ideal way to teach with art:that hand now belongs exclusively to 2-year-oldto go deep, look slowly, bring different perspectives Fiona, as Maggie recently left her job at the museumto the table, uncover connections, share insights and to become her daughters full-time caregiver duringlearn together. the pandemic. Maggie was first drawn to academic museums as a student herself, when she interned asFIVE THINGS SHE CANT LIVE WITHOUTan undergrad, and worked, after getting her mastersFamily nature walks, a good book, coffee, music and in art history, at Dartmouths Hood Museum of Art. mint chocolate chip ice cream.She joined SCMA in 2008 in the temporary positionof academic programs and intern coordinator, andEXPECT THE UNEXPECTEDone year later applied for the new and permanent roleSCMA is an amazing resource for all the teachingof associate educator for academic programs. Thoughand learning that happens at Smith. An introductory she no longer worked as closely with faculty and biological sciences class used the museum as a lab, students when she became associate director in 2014,essentiallycoming in over the course of the semester Maggie taught the Museums Concentration gatewayto consider different biomes and how humans interact course, Museums in Society.with their environments, as represented in works of art. I once brought a computer science class intoA TALENTED TEAM storage to help them think about different ways toWhen my beloved colleague and department organize a database of images, making them search-director Ann Musser passed away in 2014, I movedable and findable within a broad context. Seeing into this most recent role. It was a messy moment; students make connections across disciplines and we were all mourning Ann and there were three surprising them with what they might find in an art positions, and some big shoes, to fill. Im really museum was always energizing. proud to have brought both Gina Hall and Charlene Shang Miller on board, along with three differentNEXT STEPSpost-baccalaureate fellows over the past six yearsallDuring the pandemic its been especially challenging have been really wonderful contributors, bringingto have two full-time working parents and a toddler, different strengths to our work at the museum. so I am grateful I get to step back and catch my breath Taiga Ermansons was with me through all the a bit. I look forward to bringing my museum educator departmental changes, and Ive been so grateful forbrain to this temporary phase as a stay-at-home mom her insights and collaboration along the way. to Fiona, and the opportunity to be creative together. Exploring with a 2-year-old is pretty funexhausting and challenging, but fun! In the future, I look forward parting wordsto finding new opportunities to connect people with art and culture in our Valley and beyond.84'