Hauft to conclude directorship, Kirkwood named Director of College & Graduate School of Art
2026-01-07 • Caitlin Custer
Amy Hauft, Director of the College & Graduate School of Art and the Jane Reuter Hitzeman and Herbert F. Heitzman, Jr. Professor of Art and Meghan Kirkwood, associate professor and chair of undergraduate studio art
Amy Hauft, Director of the College & Graduate School of Art and the Jane Reuter Hitzeman and Herbert F. Heitzman, Jr. Professor of Art, will step down from her role at the end of the 2025-26 academic year. Meghan Kirkwood, associate professor and chair of undergraduate studio art, has been appointed director for a one-year term effective July 1, 2026.
“Amy has been an exceptional leader, navigating our art and design programs through significant challenges and successes the last seven years,” Colangelo said. “She has grown and developed our faculty, guided us through the once-in-a-decade NASAD reaccreditation process, and thoughtfully led the reimagining and strengthening of our studio art and design curricula. I am grateful for her collaborative spirit and unwavering commitment to support the incredible work of our students, faculty, and alumni.”
A sculptor who creates architectural-scale immersive installations, Hauft joined the WashU Sam Fox School from the University of Texas at Austin in 2019. Under her leadership, the College & Graduate School of Art launched two graduate programs — the MFA in Illustration & Visual Culture and the Master of Design for Human-Computer Interaction and Emerging Technology — added numerous faculty and staff to the college, introduced opportunities like the Counterpublic Fellowship, opened the WashU Sam Fox School Gallery on the Delmar Loop, and strengthened existing partnerships like the Freund Fellowship with the Saint Louis Art Museum and the University City Public Art Series.
“I am so proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish together, and grateful to our incredible faculty and staff for their teamwork and dedication,” Hauft said. “It has truly been my honor, and I am confident our programs have a marvelous future.”
Kirkwood joined the Sam Fox School in 2019 as an assistant professor and photography area coordinator. In 2023, she was granted tenure, promoted to associate professor, and named chair of undergraduate studio art, where she has worked closely with faculty and area coordinators to develop and implement curriculum, coordinate operations, meet accreditation requirements, and manage exhibitions and program activities.
“Meghan is an outstanding faculty member who balances a robust photographic practice with exceptional teaching and a deep understanding of the value of studio art and design education within the broader context of a research university,” Colangelo said. “She is a tireless advocate for faculty and students in the College of Art and will provide exceptional leadership during this transition period.”
An innovative landscape photographer, Kirkwood examines the ways imagery can inform and advance public conversations around land use, planning, climate change, and environmental justice. Her works are held in significant private and public collections, including the Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art and the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago, and disseminated in venues such as engineering schools, law libraries, and extension stations, which offer the potential for sparking systemic change. In addition to her creative practice, Kirkwood researches and writes about African art and the history of photography, with recent articles in publications including Lenscratch, Photographies, Exposure, and Photography and Culture.
“The College of Art is a robust community of artists and designers whose creative practices and research inspire me every day,” Kirkwood said. “I’m grateful to Carmon and Amy for creating a strong foundation for achievement and greatly look forward to working with students, faculty, and staff throughout the Sam Fox School in this new role.”