MAA cohort engages in experiential learning, cross-curricular conversation through site visits and place-based education

April, 2026

By Julia Weber, BS ’25, MAA ’26 and Brooke Boynar, BFA ’25, MAA ’26

This spring, the 2026 Master of Arts Administration cohort visited local organizations to learn how students could apply skills learned in the MAA program across contexts. Students visited both the OHIO esports lab and the Nelsonville-based arts organization Stuart’s Opera House.

Although the MAA degree is situated within an arts-specific context, the skills imparted through coursework and hands-on activities transfer to different contexts. Esports is a highly popular emergent form of media in which people play competitive or recreational video games and engage with digital media. While these two areas seem different at first, they share many common challenges as social spaces where people bond and engage in media. As director of the Esports Lab at OHIO, Dr. Jeff Kuhn explained that he views collaboration across contexts and areas of study as productive, even if they don’t seem related initially.

“These cross-collaborations can highlight how community-centered spaces, no matter how seemingly disparate, often share challenges,” Kuhn said. “Having these chances to talk can help us all understand our space isn’t the only one facing a specific challenge, and open up our thinking to new ideas and possible solutions.

Following its visit to the OHIO Esports Lab, the MAA cohort visited Stuart’s Opera House to learn about regional access to arts education from arts administrators working in the field, including the organization’s Executive Director and MAA alumnus Devin Sudman, BA ’17, MAA ’21.

"For the past five years, Stuart's Opera House has intentionally partnered with the Ohio University Master of Arts Administration Program to welcome interns and create space for meaningful dialogue about what it truly takes to lead in the arts,” Sudman explained. “Having this most recent cohort with us was especially meaningful to me. I was the very first MAA intern at Stuart’s, and now I serve as Executive Director. That full circle journey is not lost on me. It speaks to the power of mentorship, trust, and being given real responsibility early on.”

During their visit, students took a tour of the historic Stuart’s Opera House building and sat down with full-time employees in the marketing, education, facilities and development departments for a conversation about arts administration at the local level.

“When the students were here, I hoped they experienced more than just a tour or a conversation. I hoped they saw the heart of the work, the complexity, the challenges, the joy, and the responsibility we carry to our community. Leadership in the arts is not just about programming. It is about stewardship, advocacy, and creating spaces where people feel connected and transformed.”

For MAA student Bethany Homrighaus, BS ’94, MAA ’26, the trips to Stuart’s Opera House and the OHIO Esports Lab were a testament to the importance of community and authentic relationships. For Homrighaus, it was important to see how professors in the MAA program embody the ideals they teach in class.

“We learn, every day in class, about the power of connections, collaborations, and networking. About the power of community. When we engage in these experiences with guest speakers and field trips, we are shown just how our professors live within their fields. It’s absolutely real and true. We actively engage within the development already forged by our professors and their colleagues,” she said.

Sudman emphasized the importance of maintaining relationships with early-career arts administrators not only to give back, but to ensure the longevity of the arts in southeast Ohio.

“Collaborating with future arts administrators matters deeply to us because it strengthens the entire ecosystem of our region. Investing in emerging leaders ensures that the arts remain vibrant, responsive, and community centered for years to come,” Sudman said. “The program is fortunate to have Christi Camper Moore guiding it. I have personally benefited for more than a decade from her dedication to cultivating thoughtful, courageous, forward thinking leaders in our field. Welcoming the cohort to Stuart’s felt like continuing a cycle of mentorship that once shaped my own path, and that is both a responsibility and a true honor.”

For Homrighaus, the most important takeaway from the site visits was the value of paying attention to peer organizations and working collaboratively to foster an environment in which art can thrive.

“The most valuable lesson I’ve learned is that paying attention to the work of other arts admins is key to our own success,” she said. “It was a boon to our work that Dr. Christi Camper Moore arranged such a thoughtful (and also respectful) itinerary; by bringing us to both the cutting-edge Esports facility and the storied spaces of Stuart’s Opera House, she helped us recognize the full spectrum of community space.”