June 10, 2009
Kadolph named to Danielson Professorship
By
Laura Dillavou
Sara Kadolph, professor in apparel, educational studies, and hospitality management (AESHM), has been named the inaugural Donna R. Danielson Professor in Textiles and Clothing. Kadolph is the first professor to hold the endowed position.
The professorship was made possible by a bequest from the late Donna Danielson, an Iowa State alumna who served as a professor of textiles and clothing, and art and design from 1964 to 1991. Kadolph, whose research focuses on textile chemistry and natural dyes, said the professorship will be a good fit for both her and Danielson’s interests.
“This professorship will allow me to concentrate on boosting the visibility and recognition of the Textiles and Clothing Museum, as well as continuing to work with our [collection] storage facility and the Danielson conservation lab,” Kadolph said. “The position, overall, is a nice fit for my interests and my memories of Donna.”
Among Kadolph’s objectives for this professorship is creating a much stronger presence for the Center for Visual Learning in Textiles and Clothing (CVLTC) – which includes the Mary Alice Gallery, Donna Rae Danielson Textiles and Clothing Conservation Lab, and the collection storage room. Kadolph said she hopes to elevate the CVLTC through a stronger web presence, increased student involvement, and enhanced outreach to community members and school children.
“I hope I can establish a long-term exhibit plan, so our museum has some real focus and direction,” Kadolph said. “I plan to talk to other university apparel collections to get better ideas of how to market and manage our collections, and then use those best practices to really increase the kinds of audiences we bring in. I want to help people understand the contemporary perspective of this museum, and how we use the space to tell a unique story about a collection.”
The funding from the Danielson professorship will also allow Kadolph to support other faculty and graduate assistants and provide for some travel to visit other collections. Despite Kadolph’s plans to retire in May 2010, she said the one-year appointment will be enough to establish goals and practices that will benefit the CVLTC for many years to come.
“I would like this to be an effortless transition for the next person,” Kadolph said, “It’s a one-year shot for me, but I think with my current role as museum collection manager and a good idea of what I want the CVLTC to be, it will happen. In five years, I hope people recognize the museum and its collections as one of the best in the country.”
