The Southern Utah Museum of Art’s executive director Reece Summers will retire from Southern Utah University at the end of April.
Summers has over 30 years of professional experience managing university museums and collections housed within those museums. He began his career as the curator of the Montana State University Museum of the Rockies. He later moved on to serve as the managing curator of the Utah State University American West Heritage Center for seven years. While there, he was the steward over the permanent collection that included art and material culture associated with the intermountain West. His last position prior to coming to SUU was that of fellow and curator at Great Plains Art Museum, part of the Center for Great Plains Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
“Reece has a wonderful skill in creating relationships and has made relevant partnerships with the National Parks Service, the Paiute Tribal Council, the Bureau of Land Management and others,” said Shauna Mendini, dean of the College of Performing and Visual Arts. “He initiated the on-going Artist in Residence Program at Zion National Park by administering the jurying process. Additionally, his connection to the art world has benefited student learning and increased community engagement by bringing innovative exhibits that spark imagination.”
Donna Law, Chair of the Utah Museum Services Advisory Board and longtime advocate for the arts, said, “Reece was at SUU at just the right time to bring the idea of a museum to a dynamic educational and architecturally stunning reality. His knowledge and experience combined to create an exciting destination for arts enthusiasts of all ages.”
Completing his 10-year career at SUU, Summers will be presented with the Trustees Award of Excellence – Staff Award at the university’s 118th Annual Commencement. This much deserved award honors all that he has done for Southern Utah University. Summers served as a leader in many areas of the University. He collaborated with not only the College of Performing and Visual Arts, but many departments throughout the campus.
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