2005 President's QSA Winner: Theresa Leininger-Miller

At the base of any degree of quality service has to be one quality – commitment. Those who know her best say few people are more dedicated to their mission at the University of Cincinnati than Associate Professor of Art History Theresa Leininger-Miller.

Leininger-Miller, a recipient of a 2005 President’s Quality Service Award, is a mainstay not only within the Art History program within DAAP’s School of Art, but within the Greater Cincinnati arts community.

A prime example of her commitment is her work heading the Art History Guest Lecture Series, which she founded 10 years ago.

Since then, more than 40 lecturers have come to UC to speak on art history topics, despite the fact that the program has no budget.

The amount of work done for each of those lecturers is impressive, according to Mark Harris, professor of Fine Art and director of graduate studies in the School of Art. "For each talk, Leininger-Miller is a committee of one," Harris says. "She makes the invitations, writes the introductions, secures the room arrangements, creates and distributes the 150 illustrated flyers and 20 press releases -- to students, faculty, newspapers and radio stations -- makes the lunch arrangements, brings the bottled water, gets parking paid and sends a follow-up thank you letter."

Many of those who have been invited to lecture in the program are from art museums around the region. Leininger-Miller has been tireless in trying to integrate UC's Art History program and its students into the larger arts community. That has paid off for graduates like Amber Lucero-Criswell, a 2002 Master's recipient in Art History and now the assistant curator of education for interpretation and adult programs at the Cincinnati Art Museum.

"As a former UC graduate student, I can personally attest to the rich support and guidance Dr. Leininger-Miller gives to her advisees," Lucero-Criswell says. "From constructive feedback on work and practical career advice to impromptu meeting at coffee shops to help ease student insecurity and answer questions, it is clear that Dr. Leininger-Miller has a strong commitment to developing knowledgeable and successful students that will represent the University of Cincinnati well in all aspects of their lives."

Lucero-Criswell works with Leininger-Miller on another major effort that has benefited students, the Close Inspection Gallery Talk Series that Leininger-Miller founded in 1995. In conjunction with the Cincinnati Art Museum, Leininger-Miller selects the best researchers among her undergraduate students and presents them in a public forum at the Art Museum where they share their research into specific paintings or sculptures on view. More than 50 of her undergraduate students have gone through the experience in the last 10 years.

"This professional experience offers students an opportunity to speak in public at a respected institution and solicit feedback on their ideas, both valuable tools for any art historian," says Lucero-Criswell. "I value Dr. Leininger-Miller's support for this program, which is reflective of her steadfast commitment to her students' professional development."

Professor Emeritus of Art History Lloyd Engelbrecht praises that "among the things Theresa does well is making use of limited resources... I would stress that the intelligence and the creative imagination that makes her so successful as a scholar and teacher extend to all her activities."

Engelbrecht and others in the Cincinnati arts community praise Leininger-Miller's work this past year in chairing the annual conference of the Midwest Art History Conference, an effort seen by those in the group as highly successful and giving outsiders a positive view of the state of the arts in Cincinnati. In a further effort to develop a sense of community among professionals working in art history in the community, Leininger-Miller has on seven occasions since 1999 hosted receptions in her home to welcome art historians who are new to the area.

Taken together, all of these efforts are, in the words of Adjunct Associate Professor of Art History Walter Langsam, "more than enough to confirm she has made outstanding contributions to the professional ambience, student development and institutional recognition of the Art History department at DAAP."