Giving her heart and soul to TU

By Kyle Hobstetter on December 15, 2018

For the past 25 years, Susan Isaacs has dedicated her considerable talents to art history at Towson University.

Because of her tireless work and commitment to the university, Isaacs has been selected to receive the 2018 TU Distinguished Faculty Service Award.  She will receive the award at the College of Education/College of Fine Arts and Communication ceremony at SECU Arena on Thursday, Dec. 20.

Isaacs was nominated by her colleague Karl Fugelso. In his nomination letter, Fugelso credited Isaacs for growing TU’s art history department, which included lobbying to have an art history major and minor, a museum studies minor, and an M.A. in professional studies/art history, none of which existed when she started in 1993.

“It's almost entirely and solely due to her efforts that we have become the premier art history program among the public universities in the Baltimore area,” Fugelso said in his letter. “She's the beating heart of our area, indeed our department, and my colleagues and I can't think of anyone more deserving.”

Along with her responsibilities as a professor in the Department of Art + Design, Art History and Art Education, Isaacs has previously served as the director of the M.A. in professional studies/art history concentration and as well as the coordinator of the undergraduate major. After serving several years in these positions, she stepped down this past September to focus on teaching. 

Isaacs loves teaching and working with students, which she cites as one of the main reasons she’s stayed at TU all these years. She also appreciates the academic freedom she’s been given by the College of Fine Arts and Communication.  

During her TU career she’s taught a variety of unique courses including:

• race, gender and sexuality in modern art
• arts, culture and politics
• modern and contemporary art
• art of the U.S.
• museum studies (including development and grant writing, marketing and public relations for cultural institutions, and curating, and caring and handling of objects)

Isaacs sees her job as “giving students the tools and connections they need to succeed in the art world. I want to do all I can to help my students.” 

Isaacs also serves as the curator for both TU’s Holtzman MFA and Center for the Arts galleries.

She says many of the students who have worked with her in the galleries through independent studies, internships and as graduate assistants have gone on to become successful museum professionals.

Isaacs recently attended an event in downtown Baltimore and spotted three former students—all of whom have made a name for themselves as curators—sitting in front of her.

“That was so exciting,” she recalls. “I e-mailed each of them afterward and said, ‘I can’t tell you how warm it made me feel to see  you. It was great to see how successful you’ve become as independent curators doing really interesting exhibitions.’” 

In addition to her commitment to students, Isaacs has been a model colleague to her fellow faculty members. According to Fugelso, she played a major part in recruiting every current faculty member in the art history department, including him.

Once he was hired, Fugelso remembers that Isaacs sent him dozens of brochures about entertainment and housing possibilities. Eighteen years later, she continues to help him as a mentor: Fugelso now serves as art history area coordinator, a position Isaacs held for many years.  

He says he is happy, but not surprised, that his colleague is being honored.

“Susan has been here for all of us, her colleagues, at every step of our TU careers and in every way possible,” Fugelso said. “I find it hard to imagine that anyone could deserve this award more. She has clearly given her heart and soul to this university and its students.”