by Professor Mike McDavitt On October 4, 2025, six enthusiastic students from my environmental biology class explored the environmental sciences at an unlikely study site. The Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) and National Portrait Gallery (NPG) served as our indoor…
By Professor Serena Gould The primary objectives of our class visit to the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) were: (i) to adhere to the integrated skills requirements of the ELAI990 syllabus while providing dynamic and relevant coursework around my four modular…
As soon as the Smithsonian Faculty Fellowship cohort arrived at the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture, they were escorted by Briana Zavadil White to one of the National Portrait Gallery’s classrooms. There, the fellows discovered five…
By Professor Alzira Lena Ruano, Photography On Wednesday morning of November 15th, the Photographic Expressions class meets on the steps of the south entrance to the National Portrait Gallery. We are participating in the National Portrait Gallery’s Student Program and…
TEACHING AND LEARNING WITH THE SMITHSONIAN: CREATING CLASSROOM CONVERSATIONS THAT FOSTER A HOPEFUL FUTURE TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF A RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD The Smithsonian Institution is on the move. Long known as a showcase that glorifies the past, the…
(photo above: Amen by Sedrick Huckaby) Our annual visit to the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) began with Briana Zavadil White, Director of Education and Public Programs, providing the Fellows with an overview of the museum's mission and history. The…
Amanda Lebleu, Associate Professor, English Language for Academic Purposes On a chilly but sunny October day, I had the pleasure of doing something I had not done in years: I got to look my students in the eye, face to…
The MC-Smithsonian Faculty Fellowship program is delighted to announce the 10 new Fellows selected for the 2023 cohort. As always, competition was strong, and the Committee was faced with the tough task of selecting the new cohort. The group represents…
“The story of America as a destination for the homeless and hungry of the world is not only a myth. It is a story of desperation, of sadness, of uncertainty, of leaving your home. It is also a story of…
After a month spent exploring museum learning in light of the 2022 theme, “Social Justice in the time of Pandemic: The Hurdles Behind, the Urgency of Now, and Moving Forward after Covid," the 2022 Smithsonian Faculty Fellows museum seminar series…