Get to know Master’s Program alumni in our new series Life After Graduate School. In this month’s feature, meet Alex Kermes, a Master’s program alum and Exhibitions Coordinator at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Why St. Thomas?

St. Thomas has a great reputation and I had some friends who attended and vouched for the school.

What was your favorite moment while a student at St. Thomas?

It’s hard to pick out a single moment that was my favorite since I experienced so many new and exciting topics. Each was a revelatory moment on its own. For instance, I spent more time being intimidated by Chinese art than interested in studying it. But to fulfill the non-Euro/American art requirement I took one of Dr. Kindall’s seminars, which focused on the theme of travel throughout the history of the Chinese artistic imagination. It  provided a unique point for me to access and learn in a personal way about a topic I knew nothing about.

What are you up to these days? How did you get to where you are?

Today I work for Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, managing and developing exhibitions. The graduate art history program helped me develop a framework for understanding art exhibitions and how to reach art audiences in a variety of ways. My assistantships at St. Thomas gave me some hands-on experience implementing exhibitions. After graduate school I saw this type of project management first-hand at a small exhibition design company in Minneapolis.

How has the time you spent in our graduate program influenced your career and life?

When I started the graduate program, I was extremely unsure of my abilities and preparedness for that level of study. The more courses I took, the more I grew and gained a steady academic footing. Along the way as I tackled more challenging projects, I found encouragement and support from the faculty and fellow students around me. This underscored the importance of taking responsible risks as well as remaining constantly open to undertaking new, sometimes daunting opportunities.

Advice for new and current graduate students?

You’ve really got to keep an eye out for unique opportunities. Especially as a graduate student make sure to take even the most unconventional opportunities seriously. I always felt that my skillset didn’t line up with what anyone was looking for, but I was given a lot of chances by making myself available and expressing my interest in learning new things. As a result I learned how to be open to growth, in ways I never expected from the start of my graduate career.