Amanda Boyd, B.A. & M.A., Art Education
Amanda Boyd is a two-time graduate of the Â鶹´«Ă˝ School of Art. She received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in art education.
Now, Boyd serves as the curriculum director for Skullz Salon’s , the shop’s professional development program.
“It was sort of a natural fit,” Boyd says about her art education career. “I create the training program for our stylists, and any stylists looking to build and refine their skills. The School of Art prepared me to develop curriculum, while allowing the exercise of creative freedom.”
Boyd has stayed connected with the School of Art through her involvement in the school’s alumni shows. She participated in “Dual Identities,” an exhibit created by fellow art education alumnus Stephen Tornero.
At Kent State, Boyd was an active student leader. She served as the president of PRIDE! Kent, a role she says shaped her student experience.
“I learned my voice has meaning,” Boyd recalls.
Heather Haden, M.A., Art History
Heather Haden began her art history journey while working at the Â鶹´«Ă˝ Museum as an undergraduate fashion design student. Her experience with the museum’s historic collection inspired her return to Kent State to pursue an M.A. in art history.
Initially, Haden wanted to be an art history professor. Haden says she has great respect for her own professor and thesis advisor Navjotika Kumar.
“Dr. Kumar helped me think in an interdisciplinary way,” Haden said.
While a master’s student, Haden accepted an internship with the . At the completion of her internship, the Massillon Museum didn’t have full-time positions available. Still, Haden stayed connected to the museum, a relationship she says made all the difference in her career.
In February 2014, Haden returned to the Massillon Museum as the education and outreach coordinator. Now, she’s the museum’s sole curator.
“The Kent State art history program put me in a unique position to learn about different [artistic] periods,” Haden said. As the curator of a smaller museum, Haden is responsible for wide ranging collections, a task she calls “a challenge, but a great source of excitement.”
Haden stays connected to the School of Art as a part-time faculty member. She teaches an online section of “Art as a World Phenomenon.”
The School of Art plans to feature its alumni regularly. Submit your news or artwork to ksusoanewsletter@kent.edu.