Curatorial Studies at Hamilton College:  Connecting Students with Community and Practice

Hamilton College, a liberal arts college in Clinton, New York, is set to launch an interdisciplinary Curatorial Studies minor, complemented by hands-on learning experiences, through a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). This initiative gives students a unique chance to bridge the humanities with real-world experience in curatorial and archival work. Supported by an NEH Education Programs: Humanities Initiatives at Colleges and Universities grant, the program provides funding for student internships and research fellowships at regional cultural institutions, grants for faculty course development, and a speaker series—all enriching its interdisciplinary focus and practical approach to learning.

Thomas Wilson, Professor of Classical and Religious Studies and one of the project’s directors, describes Hamilton’s “capacious” approach to curatorial studies, which spans “any area of the humanities and beyond that deals with human material culture.” The program brings together faculty from diverse fields such as art, art history, classics, and history to develop new courses, inviting both faculty and students to push beyond traditional academic boundaries and explore the possibilities within curatorial practice.

Reflecting on the program’s impact, Marissa Ambio, Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies and another project director, emphasized its role in expanding the reach of humanities work: “In the humanities, much of our work and research is typically shared through essays, papers, and publications. This program provides students the opportunity to actively engage with the public and present their work in a more accessible, public-facing form.” Ambio highlighted that the program allows students to curate exhibits and work directly with communities, expanding the visibility and influence of humanities research.

Both Wilson and Ambio emphasized the critical role of NEH funding in bringing Hamilton’s Curatorial Studies program to life. The NEH grant allowed the college to support guest speakers, create partnerships with local museums, and launch a dedicated website for the Curatorial Studies program. They noted that the NEH Humanities Initiative grant program’s strong commitment to interdisciplinary work—a defining characteristic of Hamilton’s curatorial studies initiative—made it particularly suited to the goals of the curriculum development project.

The NEH grant has also enabled Hamilton to build partnerships with prominent cultural institutions throughout central New York, such as the Munson Museum of Art, and Fenimore Art Museum, in addition to Hamilton partners including the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art and Burke Library's Special Collections and Archives. These collaborations give Hamilton students access to invaluable resources in the region and the chance to experience real-world curatorial work, allowing them to engage directly with the public. As Wilson noted, this not only “widens the audience of the humanities” but also empowers students to share their work in a meaningful, public forum.

Student Experiences

In the summer of 2024, several Hamilton students took on internship opportunities through the college’s Curatorial Studies program. Kendall Bocklet, a member of the Class of 2026 and an art history major, interned at the Everson Museum of Art, where she took on diverse responsibilities. One of Bocklet’s key projects involved integrating NFC (Near Field Communication) technology to enhance visitor engagement. As part of the museum's new Cafe Louise, which opened over the summer in collaboration with renowned ceramics collector Louise Rosenfield, visitors dined using mugs, plates, and bowls from Rosenfield’s collection. Each piece of tableware featured an embedded NFC chip that visitors could scan with their smartphones. This allowed diners to learn about the artist whose work they were eating off of, adding an interactive layer to the dining experience and deepening their connection with the art.

Photo caption

Kendall Bocklet at the opening of Cafe Louise, featuring ceramics from the Rosenfield collection.

Photo courtesy Zachary Stanek (@email) 

Caitlin Blanksteen, a member of the Class of 2027 on the pre-med track, interned at the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology (MOST) in Syracuse. There, she worked as a research fellow, contributing to the museum’s Rothschild Apothecary Shop exhibit, a detailed recreation of a pharmacy from the early 1900s. The goal of this project, Blanksteen explained, was to repersonalize medicine and build trust and support in medical spaces. “Throughout this project, I feel like I really found my footing in the curatorial as well as the professional world,” Blanksteen said. “It was a personal, critical first step in changing my own world as well as that of others.”

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Caitlin Blanksteen visiting the Museum of Science and Technology in Syracuse, where she completed her remote internship. 

Courtesy Caitlin Blanksteen (cblankst@hamilton.edu) 

Henry Fey, a member of the Class of 2027, spent his summer at the Munson Museum of Art, immersing himself in the architectural legacy of Philip Johnson, the celebrated architect who designed the Munson in 1960. Fey’s research and cataloging focused on uncovering lesser-known aspects of Johnson’s work. “To be able to play a small role in picking apart the history of a building as important as the Munson was amazing,” Fey shared, adding that the opportunity was perfect for pursuing his passion for architectural studies.

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Exterior of the Munson Museum of Art in Utica, NY, where Henry Fey completed his internship. 

Courtesy Wikipedia Commons  

At the Fenimore Art Museum, Mia Horvath, a senior at Hamilton, served as an exhibition research intern. One of her roles involved contributing to the exhibition texts for a planned 2025 show on Impressionist artists Mary Cassatt and Berthe Morisot. Horvath described her internship as an empowering experience that expanded her perspective on the humanities and social sciences. “It was just an environment that I felt very liberated by and very accepted and listened to, especially as a young intern with essentially no curatorial experience,” she said. She also expressed gratitude for Hamilton’s support of such immersive opportunities in the humanities, a field she felt often lacked the same hands-on experiences commonly associated with STEM programs.

Photo caption

Mia Horvath reviewing materials for the Mary Cassatt and Berthe Morisot exhibition. 

Photo courtesy Zachary Stanek (@email) 

For students like Kendall Bocklet, Caitlin Blanksteen, Henry Fey, and Mia Horvath, Hamilton’s Curatorial Studies program offers a hands-on platform to explore and apply their interests in fields spanning art history, medicine, architecture, and exhibition curation. These experiences not only deepen their understanding of the humanities but also offer valuable exposure to careers in curatorial and archival work, equipping them with practical skills and connections that extend beyond the college setting. Learn more about Hamilton College’s Curatorial Studies Initiative and its partnerships with museums and archives in central New York on the program website.