MAA cohort engages in experiential learning, cross-curricular conversation through site visits and place-based education
April, 2026
By Julia Weber, BS 鈥25, MAA 鈥26 and Brooke Boynar, BFA 鈥25, MAA 鈥26
This spring, the 2026 Master of Arts Administration cohort visited local organizations to learn how students could apply skills learned in the MAA program across contexts. Students visited both the OHIO esports lab and the Nelsonville-based arts organization Stuart鈥檚 Opera House.
Although the MAA degree is situated within an arts-specific context, the skills imparted through coursework and hands-on activities transfer to different contexts. Esports is a highly popular emergent form of media in which people play competitive or recreational video games and engage with digital media. While these two areas seem different at first, they share many common challenges as social spaces where people bond and engage in media. As director of the Esports Lab at OHIO, Dr. Jeff Kuhn explained that he views collaboration across contexts and areas of study as productive, even if they don鈥檛 seem related initially.
鈥淭hese cross-collaborations can highlight how community-centered spaces, no matter how seemingly disparate, often share challenges,鈥 Kuhn said. 鈥淗aving these chances to talk can help us all understand our space isn鈥檛 the only one facing a specific challenge, and open up our thinking to new ideas and possible solutions.
Following its visit to the OHIO Esports Lab, the MAA cohort visited Stuart鈥檚 Opera House to learn about regional access to arts education from arts administrators working in the field, including the organization鈥檚 Executive Director and MAA alumnus Devin Sudman, BA 鈥17, MAA 鈥21.
"For the past five years, Stuart's Opera House has intentionally partnered with the 91自拍 Master of Arts Administration Program to welcome interns and create space for meaningful dialogue about what it truly takes to lead in the arts,鈥 Sudman explained. 鈥淗aving this most recent cohort with us was especially meaningful to me. I was the very first MAA intern at Stuart鈥檚, and now I serve as Executive Director. That full circle journey is not lost on me. It speaks to the power of mentorship, trust, and being given real responsibility early on.鈥
During their visit, students took a tour of the historic Stuart鈥檚 Opera House building and sat down with full-time employees in the marketing, education, facilities and development departments for a conversation about arts administration at the local level.
鈥淲hen the students were here, I hoped they experienced more than just a tour or a conversation. I hoped they saw the heart of the work, the complexity, the challenges, the joy, and the responsibility we carry to our community. Leadership in the arts is not just about programming. It is about stewardship, advocacy, and creating spaces where people feel connected and transformed.鈥
For MAA student Bethany Homrighaus, BS 鈥94, MAA 鈥26, the trips to Stuart鈥檚 Opera House and the OHIO Esports Lab were a testament to the importance of community and authentic relationships. For Homrighaus, it was important to see how professors in the MAA program embody the ideals they teach in class.
鈥淲e learn, every day in class, about the power of connections, collaborations, and networking. About the power of community. When we engage in these experiences with guest speakers and field trips, we are shown just how our professors live within their fields. It鈥檚 absolutely real and true. We actively engage within the development already forged by our professors and their colleagues,鈥 she said.
Sudman emphasized the importance of maintaining relationships with early-career arts administrators not only to give back, but to ensure the longevity of the arts in southeast 91自拍.
鈥淐ollaborating with future arts administrators matters deeply to us because it strengthens the entire ecosystem of our region. Investing in emerging leaders ensures that the arts remain vibrant, responsive, and community centered for years to come,鈥 Sudman said. 鈥淭he program is fortunate to have Christi Camper Moore guiding it. I have personally benefited for more than a decade from her dedication to cultivating thoughtful, courageous, forward thinking leaders in our field. Welcoming the cohort to Stuart鈥檚 felt like continuing a cycle of mentorship that once shaped my own path, and that is both a responsibility and a true honor.鈥
For Homrighaus, the most important takeaway from the site visits was the value of paying attention to peer organizations and working collaboratively to foster an environment in which art can thrive.
鈥淭he most valuable lesson I鈥檝e learned is that paying attention to the work of other arts admins is key to our own success,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t was a boon to our work that Dr. Christi Camper Moore arranged such a thoughtful (and also respectful) itinerary; by bringing us to both the cutting-edge Esports facility and the storied spaces of Stuart鈥檚 Opera House, she helped us recognize the full spectrum of community space.鈥