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Kaniah Pearson.
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MY SUMMER INTERNSHIP WITH SEMC
—Kaniah Pearson
The past six weeks with the Southeastern Museums Conference have been more than an internship for me; they have been a great learning experience not only in the museum field but also in life. I have learned the ins and outs of digital accessibility and how it benefits almost every area of a company. More specifically, I have learned about alternative text (alt text for short), something utterly foreign to me seven weeks ago. Alternative text allows individuals with specific disabilities to get a more descriptive and concise version of what they may or may not see. It is a few extra words of text typically added to a photograph to describe what is visually happening in the image.
During my internship, I created the alternative text for all SEMC graphic images (used in social media, marketing, and on the website) and learned how to add this information to images on various platforms. I am now able to include this skill in my experience.
Over the course of six weeks, I researched and familiarized myself with what digital accessibility is, learned why it is so important, and have become proficient at writing alternative text for images. I also created a “Digital Accessibility Best Practices” document for the SEMC staff to refer to as they continue to make their website and social media platforms more accessible for all.
In addition to learning new skills, I have also had the privilege to meet a wonderful small nonprofit family that, in more ways than one, has shaped my new understanding and appreciation for making specific resources attainable to all.
NEW STAFF AT LSU MUSEUM OF ART
LSU Museum of Art (LSU MOA) is excited to introduce Michelle Schulte as Senior Curator and Director of Programming. Schulte has an extensive background in museum and gallery management, art education, and Southern art and history and its relationship to and impact on current events and societal inequities. She has a master of arts in museum studies from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland; Georgia state teacher certification in art education from Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, Georgia (now Georgia Southern University, Armstrong Campus); and a bachelor of fine arts in photography
Michelle Schulte.
from Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia. Schulte has worked as Gallery Director / Chief Curator for the Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts at Pensacola State College in Pensacola, Florida and Gallery Director and Adjunct Faculty at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland. She gained extensive knowledge on collection care, museum standards and practices, and creating programming through university collaboration. She also served as the Curator of Education at the Morris Museum of Art in Augusta, Georgia, where she gained skills in curating exhibitions, collaborating with artists and community partners, and networking with peer institutions across the Southeast. At the Morris Museum, she established an Education Gallery and developed a space dedicated to teaching visitors about art movements and contemporary artists. Schulte currently serves as a senior volunteer leader for the Southeastern Museums Conference, which focuses on museum professional development and organizational practices.
LSU Museum of Art (LSU MOA) is excited to announce Brandon V. Lewis as Museum Educator and Public Programs Manager. Lewis, an artist, teacher, and Baton Rouge native, has dedicated the last decade to
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Brandon V. Lewis.
educating traditional and non-traditional students. He is a product of the East Baton Rouge public school system, graduating from the gifted and talented program
Manufacturing the highest quality lighting systems since 1991 at McKinley Senior High School. He went on to earn a bachelor of arts in history, with a minor in fine arts, from the University of Louisiana in Lafayette. Lewis served as the Fine Arts Chair and African American Studies instructor in the City of Baker School System for over nine years, eventually becoming the District Fine Arts Coordinator/Director. He is a member of the National Association of History Educators, National Association of Arts Educators, Greater Baton Rouge Arts Council, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. An advocate for service, Lewis believes that art, in any form, can be a change agent. For the past three years he has spearheaded the neighborhood senior Art Pack Initiative, which engages participants and provides a fine art experience for senior citizens impacted by the pandemic. In addition to being a devoted educator, Lewis is a celebrated visual artist, creating work since the early age of three. Driven by his mother and grandparents, Lewis developed an early passion for the arts, which formed the foundation for him to thrive in the field. Working primarily as a painter, he has won numerous national awards and honors. Lewis’s work
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celebrates people of color and all aspects of their culture. He truly believes artists are custodians of their community’s histories, and it is their job to preserve and relate the stories for all.
LSU Museum of Art (LSU MOA) is excited to announce Marianna Luquette as Registrar. Luquette, a lifelong Louisiana native, possesses a deep passion for regional culture, history, and art. She spent her childhood visiting museums throughout the Southern United States. This early experience seeded a fascination with museums and how they work, and eventually led her to pursue a degree in Public History. Luquette received a bachelor of arts and a master of arts in history from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She wrote her master’s thesis on cultural activism in South Louisiana, which helped cultivate her love and appreciation of traditional craft. Luquette was the Tribal Archivist for the Federally recognized Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana for five years. During her time with the Tribe, she learned all facets of collection care and assisted in developing a community-focused archive, building a deep admiration
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Marianna Luquette.
for cultural preservation and a desire to continue to pursue a career in the museum field. Although Luquette’ s roots are in Cajun culture, she enjoys learning about
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the various cultural groups found throughout Louisiana. She believes Louisiana’s diversity is its most beautiful aspect and that it should be celebrated and taught.
SEMC ANNOUNCES NEW PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR
The Southeastern Museums Conference (SEMC) is pleased to announce the selection of Heather Nowak as the new Program Administrator. This position is a strategic, collaborative addition to the growing SEMC team. In this role, Ms. Nowak will conceptualize, develop, promote, manage, and implement a full suite of SEMC programs including virtual programs, in-person workshops, and Annual Meeting professional sessions. She will have oversight of the SEMC Program Committee and serve as the liaison between the Program Committee Chair, SEMC staff, and Council. The position will also share administrative coordination of the Jekyll Island Management Institute and SEMC Leadership Institute with the Executive Director.
Ms. Nowak is a native of Birmingham, Alabama, and has been a long-time member and participant of SEMC attending her first annual conference in 2008; she received the SEMC Emerging Museum Professional Award in 2014. Ms. Nowak is a graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham where she received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history. She began her museum career in 2009 at Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark as the Education Coordinator and was promoted to Director of Programs in 2011. In 2015, she became the Executive Director of the Man in the Sea Museum in Panama City Beach, Florida. Throughout her museum career, Heather continued to be active in SEMC as a frequent presenter, member of the Program Committee and Program Committee Co-Chair in 2015 and 2018. She is excited to join the SEMC team as the Program Administrator and will utilize her skills and experience to further develop virtual programming and provide support to the Program Committee, Jekyll Island
Heather Nowak.
Management Institute, and Leadership Institute. She currently resides in Birmingham with her husband Nate, son Silas and daughter Ryder.
Zinnia Willits, SEMC Executive Director, notes, “We had a deep pool of talented applicants for this role. Heather has a long history with SEMC and will bring a diverse network of connections, museum experience, and proven success with programs. She is passionate about the mission of SEMC and will work hard to create robust and sustainable programs in collaboration with strategic partners that provide relevant training and networking opportunities to the diverse community of museum professionals in the Southeast and beyond.”
Heather began her position with SEMC on August 1 and can be reached at: HNowak@semcdirect.net
