34 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {punchline} lectually curious campus and community,” she says, adding, “We probably get a request to partner on a project every day— even from faculty in the sciences.” Veronica sees it as an indication of the university’s emphasis on integrating the arts into every field of study. “People are true humanists here,” she notes. Returning to the Bay Area after many years away has provided a chance to rediscover the artistic hotspots of her childhood and explore new ones. “There is an incredible richness here,” Veronica observes, citing San Francisco visual arts organizations like Creativity Explored, Southern Exposure and the Minnesota Street Project. Does she feel like she has come full circle? “I definitely do! It’s so crazy to be at an institution that my grandmother loved so deeply. I feel her presence here every day.” Veronica reflects that her grandmother, who had a college degree, didn’t have the same kinds of opportunity her granddaughter enjoys: directing a prestigious university art museum. “I feel very lucky to be here.” No stranger to university museum politics, Veronica is very familiar with the “bureaucrazy” that comes with the job. But she also points out a key advantage to this setting: free admission. “University museums can take more risks and we can choose shows not based on the gate,” she says of not having to worry about ticket sales. “We have this very lucky freedom.” Another advantage, she points out, is working with the college-aged demographic. “This is a thrilling age, when you are figuring out who you are and your place in the universe. Museums are a place for critical thinking and seeing other perspectives.” Veronica also hopes that the museum can be a place of healing, acknowledging the rise of mental health issues among young adults in recent years. “Yes, art has always reflected societal changes, but how can the museum also be a place of joy, serenity and connection?” One thing that has surprised her after two years on the job is the amount of interest that Stanford faculty and staff have expressed in working with the museum. “This is such an intelon display museum.stanford.edu v
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTcxMjMwNg==