Mary Schmidt Campbell facts for kids

Mary Schmidt Campbell, born on October 21, 1947, is an important American leader. She has worked in education, government, and art museums. She was the 10th president of Spelman College from 2015 to 2022. Before that, she led art museums and worked for the city of New York. She also served as the Dean of the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University.

Early Life and Education

Mary Schmidt Campbell was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This was on October 21, 1947. Her parents were Elaine and Harvey Schmidt.

She went to Philadelphia High School for Girls. After high school, she earned a bachelor's degree in English literature. This was from Swarthmore College in 1969. She then taught English literature in Zambia. Later, she returned to the U.S. to study art history. She earned both a master's and a doctorate degree from Syracuse University. Her doctoral paper was about the artist Romare Bearden. It explored his journey to create lasting art while staying true to himself.

Career Highlights

In 1974, Mary Schmidt Campbell became a curator. She worked at the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, New York. She also worked as an art editor for the Syracuse New Times.

Leading the Studio Museum in Harlem

Her career in New York City started at the Studio Museum in Harlem. At that time, the city faced money problems. Harlem was also going through a tough period. Under her leadership, the Museum changed a lot. It grew from a small rented space to the country's first accredited Black fine arts museum.

From 1977 to 1987, Schmidt Campbell was the executive director. She helped the museum grow. It became a leading Black fine-arts museum. It was also the only one of its kind to be recognized by the American Alliance of Museums. She noticed there was no good place to show African-American art. So, she created many exhibitions. These shows featured important Black artists.

New York City Cultural Affairs Commissioner

In 1987, New York Mayor Ed Koch asked her to join his team. She became the city's cultural affairs commissioner. In this role, she led the Department of Cultural Affairs. This department helps manage the city's main cultural places. These include museums, theaters, zoos, and gardens. She became known for supporting both large and small art groups.

She was sworn in as Commissioner in October 1987. She was 40 years old at the time. The department had a large budget. It gave money to 32 major institutions. It also helped hundreds of smaller arts groups. Soon after she started, the stock market crashed. This led to big budget cuts for the city. She worked hard to keep the cuts to her department as small as possible.

One of her big achievements was a campaign called "New York and the Arts: A Cultural Affair." This campaign encouraged people to enjoy cultural activities. She also started a program to introduce arts to young people from low-income families. In 1989, she was asked to continue her role by the next mayor, David Dinkins.

In 1990, the Smithsonian Institution asked her to lead an advisory board. This board studied how to show the history of Black Americans. Their work helped create the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Dean at NYU Tisch School of the Arts

On October 1, 1991, Schmidt Campbell became the dean. She led the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. During her time there, she made the school's art programs bigger. She added digital media to existing programs like theater and film. She also worked to bring more diverse teachers and students to the school. She led a big fundraising effort for the school. In 2008, she started a program to help talented students. This program focused on students who had high needs but also high potential.

Tisch also started new study areas. These included programs for preserving moving images. They also created a music institute and a special business degree for artists. In September 2009, President Barack Obama appointed her. She became the vice chair of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities.

President of Spelman College (2015–2022)

Mary Schmidt Campbell became the president of Spelman College on August 1, 2015. She took over from Beverly Daniel Tatum. Under her leadership, Spelman College improved its national ranking. It moved from 77th to 57th place in U.S. News & World Report rankings. It also remained the top Historically Black College or University (HBCU) for 13 years. Spelman also earned a high spot for helping students from all backgrounds succeed.

Schmidt Campbell retired from Spelman College on June 30, 2022. Her successor is Helene D. Gayle.

Awards and Recognition

Mary Schmidt Campbell has received many honors. She serves on the boards of several important foundations. These include the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. She is also on the board of the J. Paul Getty Trust.

She is a fellow of the New York Institute for the Humanities. She is also a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 1986, she received a Candace Award. This award is from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women.

She has also received several honorary degrees. These are special degrees given to honor achievements. She received one from her own college, Swarthmore. Other universities like Colgate University and Pace University have also honored her. Syracuse University has given her several awards. These include the Arents Pioneer Medal and a Chancellor's Citation.

Personal Life

Mary Schmidt Campbell lives in Atlanta, Georgia. She has been married since 1968. Her husband is George Campbell Jr., a physicist. He is also a former president of the Cooper Union. They have three sons together.