FAQ's
Who are we?
We are a group of Vassar students that liaises between the Loeb staff and administration, the student body, and the wider Poughkeepsie community. We act as student ambassadors for the museum and collaborate on projects and programming to engage visitors with the Loeb collection. Read our mission statement here.
What do we do?
Historically, we have primarily focused on event planning and have planned events that range from playing lifesize board games in the galleries to getting art students to create multisensorial experiences in dialogue with the work on display. That said, our goal is to encourage our communities to engage with the Loeb and to facilitate this even if it doesn’t necessarily involve events. For example, last year we worked to get Equinox, a sculpture by Tony Smith, on display in the Bridge for Laboratory Sciences.
Although there is a great amount of flexibility in what we do as committee members we are not curators, tour guides, or docents.
What happens at late night?
Food, fun, art, and community! On Thursdays, the Loeb stays open later than usual, until 9:00. From 5:00, when the Loeb normally closes on weekdays, to 9:00, is Late Night. This extra time in the evening affords perfect timing for Late Night events, which are always free and open to the public. Our goal is to make late-night Loeb engaging for members of the student body and local Poughkeepsie community through a variety of programming.
What kinds of events do you do?
We have done all sorts of events in the past: ranging from open mics and concerts in the galleries to annual fashion shows and dance performances, to our fun, life-size Candyland event. The common ground to all these is that they aim to bring community members into the galleries and to engage with the art we have. We love to collaborate with orgs, so if you and your org are looking for a space to use, or want to create some art-related programming, please reach out!
How do we get in touch or collaborate with you?
The Loeb is a great space to hold events, be they magazine launches, open mics, or events related to the art on display. Do note, however, that we give precedence to events that engage, in some way, with the Loeb’s collections. Please reach out to our collective group email, loebcommittee@vassar.edu, and we’ll try to get back to you to plan a meeting as soon as possible! You can also fill out the contact form here. We are also on Instagram (@loeb_committee) and Facebook.
How can I get involved?
If you are a first-year, please think about joining the committee! We accept three first-years onto the committee each year, who will serve for all four years of their undergraduate Vassar career. If you aren’t interested in joining or are not a first-year, feel free to join our email list, or think about contacting us for a collaboration!
What do committee members do at Late Night?
All committee members are required to spend at least an hour at the Loeb each Late Night. While there, committee members are expected to help run events, engage with community members, and assist Loeb staff members in the monitoring of programming.
Is this a paid or volunteer position?
Neither. While committee members are not paid for our work, we are expected to demonstrate a higher level of commitment than one would towards a volunteer position. Think of the committee as an unpaid internship: you don’t get paid and are required to attend committee events, but you are reimbursed with experience and networking connections, both among your peers and the Loeb staff.
Darn it, I’m not a first-year! How can I get involved?
While we do not accept upperclassmen onto the committee, if you are not a first-year but want to get involved in our work, consider applying to become a Student project leader. Student project leaders are temporary collaborators of the committee who lead specific projects spearheaded by the committee. Interested? Email us at loebcommittee@vassar.edu!