Highlighting Alumni Spencer Campbell! Spencer graduated from Miami University in 2019 with a B.A. in Music. He co-majored in Arts Management and minored in Business Legal Studies before moving on to get his J.D. from the University of Cincinnati in 2022. While at Miami, Spencer was a member of the Miami Mock Trial program and served as its President for the 2018-2019 season. He was also an Associate Justice on the Student Court and a Resident Advisor for Symmes and Flower Halls. He played trumpet in the MUMB, Pep Band, Symphony Band, Wind Ensemble, Pit Orchestra, Symphonic Orchestra, and a Brass Quintet.

What’s your current role? How did the AMAE program prepare you for it?

I am an attorney at a law firm in downtown Cincinnati called Markovits, Stock, & DeMarco LLC. We’re a boutique law firm that specializes in complex civil litigation nationwide. It might not be the most natural path for an Arts Management co-major, but the AMAE program taught me a lot about business fundamentals that I use on a daily basis. Moreover, I get the chance to work with some non-profit organizations, including arts organizations, as a pro bono legal advisor!

How did AMAE help you find your creative voice as a leader?

Litigation is all about performance! Whether you’re writing a brief or presenting in Court, it helps to have the confidence and comfort of a performer, as well as the creativity of one. I find that I lean on that creativity most when I’m negotiating or mediating in a case, trying to find a solution that is good for my clients, and that is workable for my opponents.

What’s one thing you learned in AMAE that you didn’t expect to love?

Tax policy! Seriously. In at least one of my Arts Management courses, we spent time learning about how tax policy has a huge impact on arts organizations because of the tax deduction available to donors and contributors. But when the tax code changes, it has a tremendous butterfly effect on the entire non-profit sector – especially the arts.

What is your favorite memory from your time at Miami?

This is an impossible question. I had some unforgettable experiences with Miami Mock Trial that ultimately led to my pursuing my career in law. But my experiences in the arts were no less potent. Attending National Arts Advocacy Day in 2019 with the AMAE program completely changed how I interact with government and think about non-profits. And of course, my memories of playing trumpet in the Wind Ensemble (and every other ensemble) are constant sources of smiles and nostalgia.

What does being a Miami University alum mean to you?

I grew a ton during my time at Miami. To me, Oxford will always be this special place in the woods where I met some of my greatest friends and mentors. Being a Miami alum is about being a very small piece of a very large legacy and trying to live in service of that legacy however possible.