backstory: Learning by Doing—Then Doing Some More
It’s the last week of classes, graduation is coming up on Friday, and as always at this time of year, I find myself thinking about just how much of the Museum’s heartbeat comes from our students.
The Neuberger has long been a hands-on training ground for future museum professionals. Some start behind the front desk or in the maze of workshops tucked beneath the galleries. Others find their way into internships, work-study jobs, or curatorial opportunities. Many of them leave a mark—on gallery walls, in databases, on exhibition labels, and more than a few pedestals.
This isn’t incidental to our mission—it’s central. The Neuberger is a place where emerging professionals can make real contributions. We don’t just teach students about museums; we invite them into the messy, wonderful process of making them.
And that influence doesn’t end at graduation. Just ask Rem Ribeiro ’21, our brilliant curatorial assistant—and a former Purchase student. Or Patricia Magnani ’85, our now-retired registrar. Or Associate Preparator José Smith ’94, who’s still here making magic behind the scenes.
It’s one of the best parts of this job: watching students grow into colleagues. Their impact is everywhere, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Tracy Fitzpatrick
Director, Neuberger Museum of Art
