From the President

Greetings SEMC Members:

It is truly an honor to address you all as your president. SEMC is one of the most dynamic, inclusive, and engaged professional organizations in our field, and it is through your support that we are able to accomplish all that we do. We have accomplished a great deal over the last year. This has included the first in-person Leadership Institute, active, thoughtful planning for the return of the Jekyll Island Management Institute, and a successful annual meeting in Northwest Arkansas. Additionally, numerous virtual programs, meetups, and collaborations have taken place to meet the moment and needs of our membership in facing both challenges and opportunities in the field today.

Looking ahead, your SEMC council will begin work this year on our next strategic plan that will continue to engage in strategies to support our membership in new and inclusive ways. We also look forward to welcoming our members to Louisville, Kentucky for our annual meeting this fall from November 13-15, 2023. Additionally, members will continue to have the opportunity to participate in monthly virtual programming, and social engagements, and applications will soon be accepted for our next Leadership Institute. We look forward to your participation in these programs over the next year.

SEMC is working diligently to fulfill our mission to support museum professionals across the southeast. I would like to thank each of our donors, industry partners, and sponsors for their financial support of SEMC and its programs.

Thanks as well to our Executive Director, Zinnia Willits and her team for all of their work to support our members. Finally, I would like to thank our council members, conference and program committees, and each of our various volunteers for all of their work to support SEMC and its programs.

The future is certainly bright for our organization and I look forward to engaging with each of you as we all work to improve ourselves and our field.

Sincerely,

Matthew S. Davis SEMC President Director of Historic Museums Georgia College & State University Milledgeville, GA