Lena Weisman ’22 was introduced to LUAG during an exhibitions course in her sophomore year. She majored in history with a concentration in women, gender and sexuality studies and enjoyed LUAG for the hands-on experience.

During her senior year, Weisman did a full-semester research project that became the first exhibition for LUAG LAB, an interdisciplinary project space inside the main gallery in Zoellner Arts Center.

Her project, “Reimagining Museums,” examined how immersive technology could enhance the museum experience. One aspect was a “digital overlay” on a painting with various touchpoints a viewer could select to learn more about the work.

“My time with LUAG and the high-level responsibilities I had were very transformative for me,” Weisman says. “They didn’t just teach me how to think, but how to do.”

Weisman credits that experience with helping her land her current role as executive director of Gloucester Main Street in Virginia, where she leads community development, historic preservation and economic growth in rural Virginia.

At LUAG, Weisman says she learned how to look at “both the big picture and small details.”

“That skill is 100% essential in what I do every day. We are doing strategic planning right now, and I’m not just thinking about five or 10 years down the road, but also next week,” Weisman says.

Gloucester is a small town similar to South Bethlehem, and Weisman sees the effect art has on the community.

“People gather around art, they invest in art and they invest in communities that have art. It brings business, it brings historic preservation and building rehabilitation,” Weisman says.

Story by Christina Tatu