Leading in Central MA: Joyce Kressler, AoSL Worcester Incubator

Monday, April 21, 2014

Susan Wagner, GoLocalWorcester Contributor

Joyce Kressler has a remarkable track record of accomplishment in the arts, education and community engagement. It includes a14-year tenure as executive director of First Night Worcester. The non-profit organization produces the largest and most diverse visual and performing arts festival in Central Massachusetts, attracting audiences in the tens of thousands annually.

Under Joyce’s leadership, First Night Worcester also developed K-through-12 arts-education and professional-development programs in the Worcester Public Schools in partnership with local colleges and cultural institutions. Benefiting thousands of students and their teachers, the collaborations ranged from innovative art/science programming to initiating the only deaf-youth theater residency in the region.

In recognition of her “central role in fostering the creative economy in Worcester,” Massachusetts Governor Duval Patrick appointed her to the Massachusetts Cultural Council. She is a founding member and former Vice Chair of the Worcester Cultural Coalition, a 2009 Commonwealth Award winner for its success in building a vibrant cultural sector in Massachusetts’ second-largest city. A Worcester resident, Joyce has also served as president of Forum Theatre, on the board of Mechanics Hall, as corporator of the Worcester Art Museum, and is the recipient of the Katharine Erskine Award for Arts & Culture. She holds a BFA from Boston University.

A Conversation with Joyce Kressler

SW: What is Art of Science Learning (AOSL) and what is your involvement?

JK: I am director of the Worcester Incubator for Innovation administering a National Science Foundation/Art of Science Learning grant designed to test a new innovation training curriculum that uses the arts to drive creative thinking and critical analysis. Guided by national artists, faculty, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) professionals, the cutting-edge program is an effort that re-imagines science education to better prepare the next generation of 21st Century STEM innovators.

SW: Lets talk about how AOSL came to Worcester?

JK: Worcester competed successfully with several other and much larger communities to be one of the AOSL incubators, developing their winning proposal through a high level of initiative, creative planning and excellent collaboration between local stake-holders and organizations. The lead organization in Worcester is the EcoTarium, a unique indoor-outdoor museum, whose mission is to “contribute to a better world by inspiring a passion for science and nature through discovery”. The Worcester Incubator Advisory Council has 20 leaders from education, museums, businesses, and city government helping to guide the effort and organize participation and contributions.

SW: How exactly does this process work?

JK: All 3 host cities (Worcester, Chicago, and San Diego) have identical curriculum to a point. There are twelve modules taught by national faculty. We also work with a lead local faculty to integrate Worcester’s chosen civic challenge which is to integrate arts-based and STEM learning with innovation practices to research, plan, and develop new transportation solutions to enhance Worcester’s economic productivity, connect its neighborhoods and communities, and improve the quality of life for its residents and visitors.

SW: You use volunteers to achieve these goals. Who are they?

JK: This is a collaborative process with no barriers to learning. Volunteers come from across all sectors and each perspective counts. Teams are made up of high school and college students, business leaders, STEM professionals and artists. There are also city officials, politicians, and transportation experts. I am so honored and in awe of the commitment of these volunteers who are in this for a whole year. We are all realizing that this project is bigger than all of us and is extremely rich. Everyone comes from a different perspective and all are valued and contribute equally.

SW: What are the teams being asked to do around transportation?

JK: This is not let’s design a monorail. The goal is to identify transportation issues and challenges in the city and the steps that need to be developed to create a product, process, service or program by the completion of the program on January 4, 2015. There is an expectation of of 10 deliverable solutions, ,,even small or incremental ideas that can make a difference.

SW: How did you come to be the director?

JK: I stepped into the project in the middle. The original director had to step down for personal reasons. When they began a national search, it was suggested by members of the Advisory Council that I apply. I went to New York and interviewed and as they say, the rest is history.

SW: What is your vision for this project?

JK: This project is ambitious. It is attempting to do a number of things, all at once, in a relatively short period of time:

•Test a new cutting-edge curriculum

•Integrate arts-based learning and corporate innovation practices

•Study collaborative behaviors

•Re-think STEM education

•Address lacking 21st century workforce skills

•Develop new transportation solutions

But perhaps, most importantly from my personal perspective, if there are resulting measurements that reinforce the existing correlation as to how creativity affects outcomes, the arts can be relegated to the rightful stature of importance in education.

SW: What is on the drawing board for 2014?

JK: Worcester incubator activities kicked off in March of 2014 when the Worcester Incubator began. Events includes an Introduction to The Art of Science Learning that took place on April 10^th as part of the Hanover Lyceum Series, on May 10^th there will be a Community Transportation Day at the EcoTarium, as well additional events being planned during the year to engage the public in explorations of local, regional and national innovation at the intersection of art, science and learning, presented by the Art of Science Learning’s Worcester Incubator for Innovation. We’ll share outcomes and preliminary findings from the National Science Foundation-funded Art of Science Learning project once all the research is collated.

SW: How is it going?

JK: There are times where I am able to just step back and have a WOW moment where I realize that it is happening and they (the Art of Science Learning Fellows) get it!

SW: Who or what has had the greatest influence on your life?

JK: It's a collective who: my friends, who teach, inspire, encourage, and support me.

SW: What is your favorite quote?

JK: “Definition of a camel is a racehorse designed by a committee.”

SW: What is the something that few p eo p le know about you?

JK: In my next life, I plan to be a rock star.

SW: How do you define success?

JK: When you open the door for others to be successful.

SW: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

JK: Showing the world to my grandchildren.

GoLocalWorcester presents Leading in Central Ma, a weekly profile of an outstanding community or business leader. Join us every Monday for an inspiring look at the careers and lifestyles of Central Massachusetts’s most influential citizens. If you have suggestions for a profile, please email [email protected].

Susan D. Wagner is president of Susan Wagner PR, a boutique public relations firm invested in meeting client's goals with integrity and creativity.

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