Graduate Spotlight — Paula Manni

Paula Manni graduated in the spring of 2020 with a master’s degree in Arts and Cultural Management with a focus in arts management. She currently works as the Arts Programming Coordinator at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Paula applauds the hands-on teaching philosophy of the program and respects the expertise of faculty who truly live what they teach as arts leaders in their fields. The program offers real-world experience that integrates classroom skills with community involvement to create interconnectedness. Paula and her classmates had the opportunity to work with third graders at a local elementary school as part of their Arts Education and Outreach course, ACM 464 with Dionne O’Dell. Paula cherished this experience and said, “arts integration with these kiddos was magical—they are so open to discovery!”
To those who may be hesitant to apply to grad school after a handful of gap years, Paula reassures: “the time you’ve spent away from school is so valuable and has prepared you well for this next step.”
In her spare time, Paula enjoys making art, gardening, and discovering hidden gem small towns around the Midwest!
Graduate Spotlight — Natalie Gentry

Graduate Spotlight — Haley Clayton

Haley Clayton completed her MA in ACM&MS in December of 2018 with a concentration in museum studies.
Since graduating, her goal has been to work within a registrar’s office or collection management department. She loves working with museum collections and wants to help art institutions preserve their collections while sharing them with their visitors.
Haley currently works as the Assistant Registrar at the Eli & Edythe Broad Art Museum at MSU and will begin an internship at the J. Paul Getty Museum registrar’s office in September 2021.
Making the ACM&MS program unique and special, Haley was exposed to many learning opportunities and experiences through the interconnectedness of the program with organizations within the community. Visiting different museums and collections areas within the community and listening to guest speakers allowed her to see firsthand how arts and cultural museums are run. Haley also thinks the internship requirement provided a special opportunity for students to engage with different organizations, form professional connections, and gain real experience in the field.
A memorable experience Haley had while in the program was traveling to and participating in Arts Advocacy Day in Washington D.C. Once there, she, and other students, attended a conference to learn how to advocate for and discuss the arts with policymakers. The following day she was able to put these skills to use at the Capitol to discuss why she believed in supporting the arts. Haley says, “It was an experience like no other and I will always remember the great memories I made with my peers while also taking away the knowledge of how to be an Arts Advocate!”
Haley’s favorite class was Curatorial Practices where she was able to visit multiple collections across campus, take a behind the scenes tour of the Detroit Institute of Arts, and curate an exhibition.
Haley loves travelling and enjoying new adventures with friends all around the world. She studied abroad in Spain during her undergraduate years and was glad to be able to go back abroad after graduation. Haley loves learning about other cultures and recognizes the importance in celebrating what makes them unique and hopes to continue traveling in the future.