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Media contact: Margi Caplan mcaplan@smith.edu
2015–2016 Brown Post-Baccalaureate Fellows Advance SCMA’s Mission
(Left to right) Colleen McDermott, Jessica Berube, and Emma Cantrell, 2015–2016 Brown Post-Baccalaureate Fellows,
Smith College Museum of Art. Photography by Lynne Graves.
NORTHAMPTON, MA – September 3, 2015: Smith College Museum of Art (SCMA) is pleased to
announce that Emma Cantrell, Colleen McDermott, and Jessica Berube—three highly
accomplished recent college graduates—will be part of the Museum’s staff for the next year as
the 2015–2016 Brown Post-Baccalaureate Fellows.
Launched in 2009 with funding from The Brown Foundation, Inc., of Houston, Texas, the Brown
Post-Baccalaureate Fellowship program provides a mentored, introductory work experience to
recent college graduates to aid in the preparation for both graduate school and a career in the
non-profit creative sector. The fellows assume professional responsibilities that immerse them in
SMITH COLLEGE MUSEUM OF ART | smith.edu/artmuseum the Museum’s operations and programs. The first two fellowships focused on museum education
and curatorial work; this year, a new grant from The Brown Foundation has allowed the Museum
to add a third fellowship in museum marketing and communications.
According to Jessica Nicoll, Director & Chief Curator at SCMA: “The Brown Post-Baccalaureate
program at SCMA grows directly out of the Museum’s commitment to educating and preparing
future generations of museum leaders for the important roles they will play in preserving,
interpreting, and sharing past and present culture worldwide. It provides a platform for recent
college graduates to develop professional skills. And our Fellows bring fresh ideas and creative
energy into SCMA’s staff.”
Emma Cantrell is continuing for a second year in her role as the Brown Post-Baccalaureate Fellow
in Museum Education. A 2013 graduate of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design with a
BFA in Community Education, Emma was an AmeriCorps volunteer at the Center for Art and
Community Partnerships at her alma mater from 2013–2014. As part of the Museum’s Education
team, Emma teaches K–12 school visits; assists in the development of Family Programs; and
coordinates “Night at Your Museum,” a major annual event for Smith students. Says Cantrell,
"Although I serve as a mentor to Smith College students who are involved at SCMA through the
Museums Concentration, Student Museum Educator program, and as interns, I often find myself
learning alongside them.”
The other two 2015–2016 Fellows received their undergraduate degree in May 2015 and joined
the Museum staff soon after.
Colleen McDermott (BA in History of Art from Yale University) started on June 15 and is serving
as the Brown Post-Baccalaureate Curatorial Fellow in the Museum’s Cunningham Study. As an
undergraduate, Colleen gained curatorial, editorial, and archival experience through internships at
the Yale University Art Gallery, the Yale Center for British Art, and the Metropolitan Museum of
Art. At SCMA, Colleen’s wide-ranging responsibilities include class visits for undergraduates and
K-12 groups, research, and programming. “I’ll have the chance to both learn about the day-to-day
operations of the Cunningham Study Center and pursue my own research projects. I’m also
looking forward to helping Smith students learn to curate their own shows through the ‘Student
Picks’ program.”
Jessica Berube (UMass Amherst, BFA in Studio Art; certificate in Arts Management from the
UMass Arts Extension Service) started on July 1 and is the first to serve as the Brown PostBaccalaureate Fellow in Marketing & Communications. She will focus on engaging Smith and Five
College students through social media and liaising with the Smith Student Museum Advisory
Council. “I’m excited about the opportunity to learn and grow on the job. I look forward to
working with students and to using social media to share all of the great programs and shows
happening at the Museum, and to make sure students know about SCMA’s phenomenal
collection.”
2 SMITH COLLEGE MUSEUM OF ART | smith.edu/artmuseum The three Fellows will play key roles at SCMA for the next year—both individually and together—
helping to shape the Museum’s new programs and exhibitions while working creatively to increase
student engagement.
ABOUT THE MUSEUM
Studying and appreciating the visual arts and promoting visual literacy are at the core of SCMA's
mission, supported by the Museum's exceptional galleries, classrooms, and the Cunningham
Center for the Study of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs. SCMA’s permanent collection includes
25,000 works of art; approximately 20,000 are works on paper.
Fall 2015 marks the completion of the Museum’s two-phase, two-year comprehensive Gallery
Redesign Project during which all of the Museum’s galleries were updated, renovated, and
reinstalled. Visitors will see (moving from the top floor down): Art after 1800—African, American,
and European paintings and sculpture; Art before 1800—American, Ancient World, and European
paintings and sculpture; the changing exhibition gallery; and, on the lower level, Art after 1950
and Asian art—including the three new spaces: the Carol T. Christ Gallery for Asian Art; a digital
media gallery; and a new “Talk Back” learning space. The Museum Shop, acclaimed artistdesigned restrooms, and handcrafted artist-designed gallery benches will no doubt continue to
be visitors' favorites, as well.
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Smith College Museum of Art is located at 20 Elm Street at Bedford Terrace, Northampton, MA.
Hours: T-Sat 10–4; Sun noon–4; and Second Fridays 10–8 (4–8 Free)
Follow Smith College Museum of Art on Facebook + Youtube + Instagram
smith.edu/artmuseum
Writing contributed by Jessica Berube and Margi Caplan
Originally released on July 17, 2015; updated September 3, 2015
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