Anne Greenwood has been chosen as the new Humanities Department chair at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts.
Dr. Janice Sullivan, dean of academic affairs at the school, recently announced Greenwood’s selection. Greenwood will succeed Donna Hutchison, who is retiring at the end of the school year. Hutchison has served as a member of the faculty since the campus opened in 1993 and as the department chair since March 1997.
Greenwood has been an ASMSA faculty member for six years. She teaches English, art history and art, including drawing and painting. Prior to joining ASMSA, she taught at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, La. She has a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in English literature from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.
Greenwood said she is excited about the opportunity to guide the Humanities Department. ASMSA is in the process of developing a humanities emphasis within the school’s curriculum. The details are still under review, although Greenwood is hopeful it will be in place for the beginning of the 2013-14 academic year.
“I’m really looking forward to developing the humanities emphasis,” Greenwood said. “It is one of the things I want to work on bringing to fruition and shepherd it as it moves forward.”
Greenwood said she would like to bring the fine arts program “to a higher level.” She said that would be a long-term project in which she would look for grant opportunities as well as opportunities to partner with other organizations that would benefit ASMSA students.
She used as an example a program at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Ark., that reimburses schools for some transportation costs for field trips to visit the museum. Through a gift from the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation, the museum can offer schools up to $250 for transportation costs. Greenwood said Hutchison has been working with the museum this year to allow ASMSA students the opportunity to travel to the museum.
She said the department is also discussing possibly participating with the museum in future research on the impact of visiting museums on students.
Greenwood said she is excited about the opportunity to increase the use of technology in the humanities classes.
“There is something known as digital humanities or humanities 2.0. I’m hoping we can bring a little more of that into our humanities program,” she said.
That might include “anything from data mapping to use of infographics to alternatives for students creating digital documents. For me, that is important,” she said.
Greenwood, 36, said she will work with Hutchison over the remainder of the semester to learn the day-to-day operations of the department. She said having Hutchison here to mentor her as she transitions into the role of department chair is invaluable.
“She is an amazing role model, both subconsciously and consciously,” Greenwood said. “I look at the way she handles things and learn a lot. She is very tactful but can be forceful when she needs to be. She knows a lot about the school and the state and university requirements.”
Greenwood said she also has “a very supportive faculty. We work well together.”
She said that carries across departments as well. She said she Dr. Brian Monson, chair of the Science Department, and Walt Levisee, chair of the Mathematics Department, have been helpful.
“Everybody here collaborates a lot, whether it’s how to lead something or put something together for content or how to teach this class or technology. It’s one of the reasons why I like it here. When I was at the university, I didn’t get to collaborate with physicists or mathematicians because you didn’t really go outside your department much,” she said.
Corey Alderdice, ASMSA director, said Greenwood’s dedication to the students’ learning in partnership with other educators was one of the reasons she was chosen to lead the Humanities Department.
“Anne has already established herself as a leading member of the faculty at ASMSA,” Alderdice said. “Her appreciation for interdisciplinary learning, innovation through technology and a firm commitment to the success of all students are vital to the continued growth of the Humanities Department.”
Greenwood is married to James Katowich, who also serves as an instructor in the Humanities Department.