WWW.SHAKER.LIFE | SPRING 2022 55
Most of us think
we’re busy at work, but
Boulevard neighborhood
resident Kathryn
Heidemann couldn’t
deny it if she tried.
Presently, Heidemann is serving as
chief operating officer and senior
vice president for the Cleveland
Institute of Art as she prepares to
succeed president and CEO Grafton
Nunes when he retires this summer.
At the same time, she’s still
executing the duties of the vice
president of academic affairs and
dean of faculty for the college, a
position she’s held since 2019.
Heidemann’s not complaining,
though. Instead, she wants to talk
about the well-being of her faculty
and students – a demanding role in
any time, but even more so during a
stubborn pandemic. There’s been a
noticeable increase in mental health
concerns, particularly with incoming
freshmen, which the college is
working to address.
Heidemann is focusing on
providing more support to faculty.
She’s founding a faculty teachingand
learning development center to
help CIA professors work through
new teaching methods related
to student engagement, student
mental health, and equity in the
classroom. Teaching across learning
differences and even different
student ages – some CIA students
are older, nontraditional students –
are additional areas of support.
“I have really always been
a strong advocate for how
arts and culture can play a
role in the reinvestment and
revitalization of cities.”
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