Alumni: Ideas and Issues, Art Education at The Ohio State University

This section of our newsletter is devoted to informative and thought provoking essays from alumni and faculty of the OSU Art Education family.

Reflections on the concept of Alumnihood -- April 2003
Kenneth Marantz, emeritus professor

For about a score of years, the Department has celebrated annually the career of one of its alumns. We pay special attention to characteristics we label "distinguished" and invite those selected by the graduate students to campus to tell a bit about their activities, and perhaps even some future plans. In a significant sense, our annual celebrations are symbolic of all the rest of the days we should be recognizing and valuing our "extended family" of alumns.

Although now retire over 10 years, I never totally filed away all of the attributes of an academic life, never turned my back totally on over 40 years of service to art education. Thus, a notion about graduate students seeking research topics seems to be a proper state of affairs. And I find a possible resolution of such a search in an investigation of the concept of "alumnihood." The Department has been adding names to the plaque in the office and we now have what might be called a "critical mass" -- enough of a collection of personalities to ask some teasing questions about this thing called alumnihood.

Designing a proper research is clearly a task for others, for those whose technical skills have yet to become flaccid with years of neglect and who are more driven by a scholar's ego. For such spirits who find this brand of speculation a tasty challenge, there exist accessible sources of data like academic records, and post-graduate c. v. s, and reams of published materials. Interviews should be readily arranged. Overriding questions might include some seeking answers to: what qualities of careers are held in common? Do the selections made inform us more about the graduate selectors than those selected? Even a few quantitative queries about categories of careers followed are possible for those who enjoy "crunching numbers." How many have left our primary field and why? Or such more subjective concerns as what aspects of the OSU experience proved most valuable years after graduation? What might be some political advantages in maintaining associations with others through the Department? In creating a functioning network?

Clearly I'd push such an investigation for selfish reasons, because I want to know the answers. Equally clear is my continuing belief that the concept of alumnihood is a valuable one for individual students as well as for the departmental collective. Some investigation of other universities would no doubt be a part of any study in order to set our Department in its academic environment. And I suggest that some sorts of departmental creativity be applied to developing on-going activities that would produce greater insights about alumnihood.

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	IDEAS & ISSUES This section of our newsletter is devoted to informative and thought provoking essays from alumni and faculty of the OSU Art Education family. *Reflections on the concept of Alumnihood* -- April 2003 Kenneth Marantz, emeritus professor For about a score of years, the Department has celebrated annually the career of one of its alumns. We pay special attention to characteristics we label "distinguished" and invite those selected by the graduate students to campus to tell a bit about their activities, and perhaps even some future plans. In a significant sense, our annual celebrations are symbolic of all the rest of the days we should be recognizing and valuing our "extended family" of alumns. Although now retire over 10 years, I never totally filed away all of the attributes of an academic life, never turned my back totally on over 40 years of service to art education. Thus, a notion about graduate students seeking research topics seems to be a proper state of affairs. And I find a possible resolution of such a search in an investigation of the concept of "alumnihood." The Department has been adding names to the plaque in the office and we now have what might be called a "critical mass" -- enough of a collection of personalities to ask some teasing questions about this thing called alumnihood. Designing a proper research is clearly a task for others, for those whose technical skills have yet to become flaccid with years of neglect and who are more driven by a scholar's ego. For such spirits who find this brand of speculation a tasty challenge, there exist accessible sources of data like academic records, and post-graduate c. v. s, and reams of published materials. Interviews should be readily arranged. Overriding questions might include some seeking answers to: what qualities of careers are held in common? Do the selections made inform us more about the graduate selectors than those selected? Even a few quantitative queries about categories of careers followed are possible for those who enjoy "crunching numbers." How many have left our primary field and why? Or such more subjective concerns as what aspects of the OSU experience proved most valuable years after graduation? What might be some political advantages in maintaining associations with others through the Department? In creating a functioning network? Clearly I'd push such an investigation for selfish reasons, because I want to know the answers. Equally clear is my continuing belief that the concept of alumnihood is a valuable one for individual students as well as for the departmental collective. Some investigation of other universities would no doubt be a part of any study in order to set our Department in its academic environment. And I suggest that some sorts of departmental creativity be applied to developing on-going activities that would produce greater insights about alumnihood. Top

IDEAS & ISSUES