On Wednesday, September 12, Macaulay Honors College exclusively welcomed the Class of 2022 at the Brooklyn Museum. As all Macaulay students know, this tradition is just one of the many ways the honors college jumpstarts students’ analytic and creative thinking skills while bridging the physical gap between campuses.
The stormy weather that evening was no deterrent for the bright-eyed freshmen, as they walked through the museum’s expansive glass doors while shaking off their umbrellas and jackets. They were greeted by Macaulay Arts in NYC professors, directors, advisors, ITFs, Chief Academic Officer Joseph Ugoretz, and faculty members, Professor Elizabeth Reis and Professor Edward ‘Ted’ Widmer. After checking in their bags and receiving some Macaulay swag (dark grey t-shirts with “Class of 2022” and their respective campuses), they were sent to the auditorium in groups. Chief Academic Officer Joseph Ugoretz welcomed them with a familiar introduction explaining why the arts are so important in their studies of both New York City and the world in general. Then, as all upperclassmen and alumni know, he sent them off with a mission: to get in groups and record themselves analyzing the various works in the museum.
Students were free to roam the first floor (Steinberg Sculpture Garden and Infinite Blue), third floor (Egyptian and European Art), and fifth floor (Arts of the Americas). The elevators were in constant motion as freshmen traveled in small packs, eager to explore the museum and find the one piece that spoke to them. Groups of four or five huddled around angsty statues, paintings depicting the aftermaths of war, and history in the form of mummies. The museum was filled with voices murmuring into phones about art and history.
As the night went on, students slowly trickled out, but their inquisitive remarks certainly left an impact in the echoing spaces between the artwork. Congrats Class of 2022 for making your mark in this MHC tradition, and welcome to Macaulay!
