During the 2023-24 Richard and Carole Cocks Art Museum Annual Members Meeting, staff recognized key individuals and organizations who made major contributions to the museums and our community.

Our Faculty Leader of the Year award was presented to Harvey Thurmer, Associate Professor of Music at Miami University.

Thurmer is a strong supporter of the Art Museum and engagement with students in the Department of Music. In partnership with the museum over the past two years, he has encouraged and supported student musicians as they seek out opportunities to perform in our Auditorium and Gallery spaces and gain experience in front of a live audience, which has also helped boost engagement with new audiences. This has developed into a new program called Music at the Museum every third Saturday in the Fall and Spring semesters.

Student Leader awards were presented to two individuals who have contributed significantly to the Art Museum in varied capacities over multiple years. All exhibit strong leadership in support of the arts and the Art Museum, and are soon to graduate from Miami University.

Jillian Schwab received a Student Leader of the Year Award presented by Collections manager / Registrar Jenn Laqualia.

Jillian Schwab, majoring in Fashion and with minors in Anthropology, Fashion and Museums and Society, served as the inaugural Frances McClure Textile Fellow between Fall 2022 and Fall 2023, and played a key role in documenting, rehousing, and characterizing of our textile collection. Jillian also serves as a Student Assistant on our front desk as part of our Visitor Services team. 

Macey Chamberlin received a Student Leader of the Year Award presented by Sherri Krazl (Marketing and Communications).

Macey Chamberlin is a Senior majoring in Communication Design with a minor in Fashion, and Studio Art with a printmaking concentration. She has worked at the museum as a Graphic Design Student Specialist since September 2021. In her role she works with the Marketing and Communications team creating graphics that are used in the exhibitions such as exhibition titles, text panels, gallery guides and catalog sheets, as well as graphics used in the promotion of the museum, our exhibitions and programs. And we are extremely grateful that this semester she was able to be a part of the rebrand project rolling out this Fall.

Curator of Exhibitions, Jason E Shaiman presented Volunteer Docent, Ellen Buerk with the Volunteer of the Year Award.

This award was given to Ellen Buerk for her significant contributions as a volunteer docent over the past three semesters in leading the initiative for our revived Girl Scouts program. It’s important to acknowledge that Ellen is not alone in this effort, as she has received much support from fellow docents and volunteers, Ann Bell, Marcia Perry, Ruth Overly, Rene Potter, Layne Listerman, Sue Jones, Jan Suding, intern Ellen Long, as well as Katie Wilson of the Girl Scouts.

The Community Partner of the Year award was presented to Talawanda/Ross District Girl Scouts Troop Leader, Katie Wilson by the Jeffrey Horrell '75 and Rodney Rose Director and Chief Curator, Jack Green.

We awarded the Community Partner of the Year award to Katie Wilson, Troop leader of the Talawanda and Ross district Girl Scouts. Katie did a huge amount in planning, coordinating, and leading dozens of Girl Scouts to the museum for our Kiwanis Club sponsored program. Katie, who has served for many years as Director of the Armstrong Center at Miami University, is soon moving to take up a new position with Oregon State University. We’ll be sorry to see her go, and look forward to working with fellow Troop leader Laura Desmond from that time.

You can find out more about the art museum and its upcoming exhibitions on the museum website.