Montserrate College of Art President Dr. Kurt T. Steinberg, who is stepping down from his position in January to be COO at the Peabody Essex Museum.
Dr. Kurt T. Steinberg, who has served as president of Montserrat since July of 2018 and who is credited with boosting the art college’s profile nationally, is stepping down effective January, to assume the position of Chief Operating Officer of the Peabody Essex Museum.
An interim president will be appointed by the trustees before the end of the year, the school said.
Dr. Steinberg, who successfully led the college through the COVID-19 pandemic just over a year after arriving on campus, has been hailed by the trustees as a strong and conscientious leader who has helped to diversify the college’s Board of Trustees, tripled the college’s endowment and strengthened the institution's finances while hiring new and innovative faculty, expanding the curriculum and focusing on career options and affordability for Montserrat students. Montserrat was able to achieve two rankings for the first time with US News and World Report, North Region and Social Mobility. The Montserrat Community has achieved much during and before the pandemic.
Dr. Steinberg said, “It is with a sense of accomplishment and sadness that I depart this wonderful college which is such an important cultural driver on the North Shore. Despite COVID, the community has accomplished much and many initiatives are underway that will benefit Montserrat College of Art for many years to come. I plan to be a strong supporter of Montserrat well into the future.”
Dr. Steinberg will remain at Montserrat until mid-January.
Chair of the Board Mercedes Sherrod Evans said, “Dr. Steinberg has been an exceptional leader of Montserrat during unprecedented times, including the worldwide pandemic and the loss of our former Board Chair, Kent Wosepka, to a bicycle accident. Kurt led the college with enthusiasm, skill and great affection for the Montserrat community. He will be sorely missed, but we wish him well as he moves on to his next chapter.”
Prior to his tenure at Montserrat, Dr. Steinberg served as interim president and executive vice president at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design for 12 years. He helped transform the campus through $160 million of capital investment as well as overseeing operational and recruitment improvements that helped secure MassArt’s future in Boston.
Montserrat College of Art is a private, residential college of visual art and design in historic, coastal, Beverly supporting the creative life by “educating artists and entrepreneurs for a rapidly changing world.”
Last month, US News and World Report named Montserrat as a top 50 regional college in the North. The school’s mission is to be at the intersection of art, design and technology, the college offers three international programs, 12 concentrations and a required internship program and is credited with being an art school that is affordable and career-focused. Montserrat alumni are employed by some of the country's biggest brands including Disney, Puma, Hasbro and more. Students earn the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and develop their skills for success in today's growing creative economy.
The college also provides year-round classes for youth, teens and adults through its Continuing Education Division, and has several public galleries offering year-round programs, exhibitions and lectures.
