FSC Names Endowed Chair To Further Strengthen Ties Between Polk Museum Of Art, Local Arts Community

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Feb 08, 2021, 13:09 ET

LAKELAND, Fla., Feb. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Florida Southern College has named Dr. H. Alexander Rich as an endowed chair in the Department of Art History and Museum Studies.

Dr. Rich, who was named the George and Dorothy Forsythe Endowed Chair in Art History and Museum Studies, is associate professor of art history and chair of FSC's Department of Art History and Museum Studies. He also is executive director and chief curator of the Polk Museum of Art and director of the Melvin and Burks Galleries on the Florida Southern campus.

Florida Southern College has named Dr. H. Alexander Rich as the new George and Dorothy Forsythe Endowed Chair in Art History and Museum Studies. Dr. Rich is associate professor of art history and chair of Florida Southern’s Department of Art History and Museum Studies, director of the Melvin and Burks Galleries on the FSC campus, and executive director and chief curator of the Polk Museum of Art in Lakeland, Fla.

"It is wonderful that the George C. Forsythe Family Foundation, through this endowed chair, recognizes the significant work of Florida Southern College and the Polk Museum of Art as we continue to strengthen ties with the local arts community," said FSC President Dr. Anne B. Kerr. "We are excited to work with this tremendously important foundation through its president, Dr. William Gregory, to help further its longstanding mission of community betterment."

With the appointment of Dr. Rich as the endowed chair, Dr. Gregory sees strong opportunities for continued arts-related advances: "We are delighted that this endowed chair in Art History and Museum Studies aligns with the foundation's mission of high-level support for the local arts and culture, in addition to issues of community health and other social needs. Through the important academic affiliation between Florida Southern and the Polk Museum of Art, both organizations are poised to further increase their significant roles within Lakeland's arts community."

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Brad Hollingshead praised Dr. Rich's leadership and his passion for the arts, which is recognized by this endowed appointment.

"Endowed chairs have long been a symbol of academic prestige," Dr. Hollingshead said. "They validate teaching and scholarly excellence and provide consistent financial support. As such, they not only honor the faculty members appointed to them but also serve as an enduring tribute to the donors who established them."

A native of New York City, Dr. Rich earned his Ph.D. in Art History from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, and his A.B. from Dartmouth College. Prior to joining FSC in 2014, he taught previously in both the History of Art Department at the Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York, and in the City University of New York system. He has worked in curatorial and educational capacities at museums including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Hood Museum of Art in Hanover, N.H.

Dr. Rich joined the staff of the Polk Museum of Art in 2017, becoming its executive director in 2019. He is a specialist in Modern and Contemporary art history, with a focus on European and American art of the 19th and 20th centuries.

"I am honored to have been named the George and Dorothy Forsythe Endowed Chair in Art History and Museum Studies," Dr. Rich said. "This generous endowment enabled by the Forsythe Foundation and Dr. Gregory reflects the important synergistic relationship that exists between and among the College, the College's Museum, and the role of the arts on campus. I and the talented colleagues with whom I am privileged to teach and collaborate will continue working to strengthen and deepen those ties."

About Florida Southern College

Founded in 1883, Florida Southern College is the oldest private college in Florida. The College maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 70+ undergraduate programs and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, nursing, and physical therapy. Florida Southern has a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio; is an award-winning national leader in engaged learning; and boasts 30 NCAA Division II national championships. It is ranked among the top 10 Regional Universities in the South by U.S. News and World Report in its 2021 "Best Colleges" guide, and is included in The Princeton Review's 2021 "386 Best Colleges" guide, the "Fiske Guide to Colleges 2021," and Forbes magazine's "America's Top Colleges" guide. The College is committed to the development of the whole student through vibrant student life programs that prepare graduates to make a positive, consequential impact on society. FSC is conveniently located within an hour's drive of both Orlando and Tampa. FSC is home to the world's largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2012. Named the "Most Beautiful Campus in the Nation" for two consecutive years by The Princeton Review and one of the nation's "Ten College Campuses with the Best Architecture" by Architectural Digest, Florida Southern is an internationally-recognized place of beauty and academic excellence.

SOURCE Florida Southern College