Kruizenga Art Museum - Meet Mimi

If you walked into the Kruizenga Art Museum (KAM) last year you likely didn't feel the painstaking, extensive process that Mimi ’25 experienced in curating your visit.

Calling Tulsa, Okla., her hometown, Mimi double majored in art history and German. If that wasn’t enough, she had a religion minor as well. When she found free time from her studies, Mimi worked as a co-student curator for Hope College’s very own KAM.

“Last summer I worked on the exhibition concerning saints of the Christian church and their syncretic manifestations across the world,” said Mimi, who was also a Hope Forward student. “Saints and Syncretism” at the KAM was on display through May 17, 2025.

Mimi now plans to earn her master’s degree in art history with a concentration in museum studies. She credits her firsthand experience in the KAM for a wonderful start. “The personal and exclusive opportunity provided by the KAM taught me organization skills, comprehensive research methods and a deep appreciation for the fine arts needed to create a well-rounded exhibition,” she said.

Mimi was able to continue this exploration with an advanced art history seminar instructed by Dr. Anne Heath and the KAM staff.

“Multiple times, I have worked directly with the pieces — handling, analyzing and measuring — to better inform my knowledge of the works,” explained Mimi. “There is truly nothing comparable to seeing the work in person and being able to touch and interact with it. Nowhere else have I had such an opportunity.”

Today, your gifts will turn these opportunities into realities. “There’s a lot of underfunding in the arts,” said Mimi. “Through your gifts, the KAM has been able to thrive and continue as an educational resource — not only for the college, but for the broader community.”

Mimi is thankful for the ripple effect of your gift on Day of Giving. “These gifts inspire me to contemplate the things that wouldn’t be possible without them,” she said. “It impresses upon the recipients to continue the goodwill.”