BA in Art History

Reese Murphy, 2024

What was the most impactful class you took in your major?  
My independent study course was the most impactful class I took in the Art History program at GMU. I conducted an in‑depth study on Berthe Morisot’s toilette portraits of women in the Impressionist era, and the experience pushed me to my creative limits, taught me the importance of self‑motivation, and encouraged me to fully utilize the resources available to me. I continue to apply those lessons in my career and have received positive feedback for my ability to do so. 
I am deeply grateful to Dr. Vanessa Schulman for taking the time to listen to my frustrations about the limited research on Morisot and for encouraging me to persist, even when I was uncertain about where the project would lead.

What activities were you involved in during your time at George Mason that impacted you?  
During my time at Mason, I participated in several student films as a set designer and art director. These projects allowed me to apply my knowledge of art and design in creative, hands‑on ways while supporting my peers in achieving their artistic visions. Through this work, I learned how to think quickly, adapt to unexpected challenges, and collaborate with individuals who brought a wide range of skills to the table. 
I was also part of an informal group of Art History students who frequently visited our professors and hosted “burrata lunches”. The time I spent with my professors was invaluable in helping me understand how to navigate the museum world and academia more broadly. I am immensely grateful for the time they invested in me and for their encouragement to keep applying and moving forward, even when the process felt discouraging.

What is your most memorable moment at George Mason inside or outside of the classroom?   
My most memorable moment at GMU took place during my final year. On Wednesdays, several classmates and I had three back‑to‑back classes: two one‑hour lectures followed by a three‑hour evening seminar. At the same time, we were all frantically applying to every job we could find. Wednesdays were, to put it mildly, exhausting. To cope, we developed a ritual of stopping by the Johnson Center for the largest Starbucks Frappuccinos we could get our hands on. The combination of caffeine, and far more sugar than any of us needed, was just enough to carry us through that final three‑hour class. Despite the strain on my wallet, I cherished those moments with classmates who remain close friends today. Bonding over our collective exhaustion, the challenges of the job market, and our favorite pieces and readings made the final semesters feel far more manageable. College can be incredibly lonely at times, so I am endlessly grateful for the wonderful friends I made—and for the mountains of whipped cream we consumed together.

As you are reflecting on your time at George Mason, what is one piece of advice you would give a student who is just starting off on their Mason journey?  
The best advice I can offer to other GMU students is to embrace every opportunity to learn something new. When I started my freshman year, I was certain I would become a teacher and thought I knew exactly how my life would unfold. But after being randomly placed in an Art History 101 course, everything changed. That experience taught me the value of staying open to new possibilities. 
Since then, I have endeavored to pursue every learning opportunity and to ask as many questions as I can. Don’t dismiss a potential learning moment simply because you think you already know where it will lead. Even if the experience doesn’t directly enhance your résumé, it is far better to say you tried something than to look back and realize you missed out.

Tell us a little about your current job. What are your future plans?  
I currently serve as the executive assistant to the Deputy Director for Collections and Exhibitions at the National Museum of Asian Art. Some days, my work involves scheduling meetings, proofreading reports, and managing more emails than I can count. On other days, I have the opportunity to meet foreign Secretaries of State, assist in collections storage, and sit in on exhibition proposal meetings. I am in a unique position that allows me to collaborate with a wide range of teams (including curatorial, provenance, and collections management) and I learn from each of them. I have been fortunate to contribute to several exciting projects, and I often feel spoiled by the variety of opportunities available to me. 
I am especially grateful for the trust and support of the collections management team, as I hope to pursue a future role as a registrar. I have always loved being close to art, and the prospect of assisting with the movement, installation, and documentation of priceless objects fills me with genuine excitement.

How have you used information or skills from your time in the art history major in your work? 
I use many of the skills I gained from studying art history in my current work, but the most valuable have been my research abilities and my visual analysis skills. Spending much of my undergraduate career writing research papers and engaging deeply with course readings taught me how to ask meaningful questions, locate reliable answers, and, most importantly, approach problems like puzzles to be solved. Developing strong visual analysis skills sharpened my attention to detail, which has proven immensely helpful in my role. The ability to identify inconsistencies or subtle differences has made routine tasks, such as reviewing travel reports, more efficient, and has also supported more complex responsibilities, such as redacting object accession files for external requestors.