Leighah Beausoleil
Asst. News Editor
Yumi Huntington Park, an art history professor, will be the new Arts & Ideas series coordinator
beginning fall 2020, according to an email from Scott Greenberg, associate provost.
Lisa Eck, the current coordinator, said she will be stepping down to run for chair of the English
Department.
Arts & Ideas is a series of speakers, performers, exhibits, and films that take place throughout each academic year based around a theme, according to the University’s website.
Eck has coordinated the program since she revamped it from the “Arts & Humanities” series in 2013.
“I loved every moment of it,” Eck said. “They have become a part of my DNA as a thinker, expanded my worldview, and enlivened my teaching.”
Park has been a member of the series committee since spring 2018.
“Dr. Park shares my philosophy that co-curricular events are a central part of the college experience,” Eck added. “Coming together to explore arts and ideas as a community is what college campuses are all about!” Park said, “Dr. Lisa Eck has already developed the Arts & Ideas series into an extremely dynamic program by including so many different disciplines, students, and FSU communities of faculty and staff.
“I feel extremely honored to be in a position to carry on her legacy,” she added.
Park said the series for 2020-21 will be organized around the theme of “The Public Self: Citizen as Change Agent.”
“Because 2020 is an election year, Arts & Ideas will focus on considering how members of the FSU community define their public selves and how we can civilly and productively engage with the broader public,” she added.
Park said she envisions the series becoming broader, and to include STEM, business, and education disciplines – which was previously suggested by Eck.
She said she would also like to see more student club representatives involved in the event-planning process.
“By listening to students’ voices, we will encourage people to come together across colleges and disciplines, fostering interactions between students, faculty, staU, and other members of the FSU community,” Park added.
President F. Javier Cevallos said, “Dr. Eck has been the heart and soul of the Arts & Ideas series since before I arrived at Framingham State University. ... I am so grateful for her service to FSU in this capacity.”
Cevallos added he believes Park will “bring a lot of passion and energy to next year’s program.”
Cevallos, Eck, and Park all encourage students to get engaged with the series and attend the events.
Eck said, “Everyone thinks they are too busy, but the series will feed you in ways that motivate you and energize you.”
She added, “Take advantage of the intellectual life on this campus and you won’t regret it!”