Jane Addams Hull House Museum News

Dear UIC community,

We write today with the surprising and bittersweet news that Jennifer Scott, Director and Chief Curator of the Jane Addams Hull House Museum (JAHHM) in the College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts (CADA), has resigned her position with us and her last day is this Wednesday, August 19. In her five and a half year tenure, Scott brought new perspectives on the exhibitions, public programs and collection access, and oversaw important facility upgrades.

Some highlights of the public programs during Scott’s tenure include two current, extremely timely series: Museums and Social Justice and Race and Women’s Suffrage. Scott is responsible for the museum’s Family Day programming, which often highlights the themes of current exhibitions and incorporates artist workshops throughout the museum; other public programs have highlighted the work of UIC faculty and museum partnerships. Other highlights of Scott’s tenure include JAHHM’s  Tribute to Viola Spolin and Paul Sills in conjunction with the Participatory Arts exhibition; 2019’s Summer of Theater spotlighting black female improvisation; and the opening of the above-mentioned series on Race and Women’s Suffrage, featuring Michelle Duster, granddaughter of Ida B. Wells, which considered the history of black suffragists in Illinois and the erasure of their civil and gender rights efforts during the progressive era.

Ross Stanton Jordan, Curatorial Manager at the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum added, “Jennifer’s insightful, creative, and courageous leadership will be missed,” sentiments also held by the CADA community.

Scott currently serves as co-chair of Mayor Lightfoot’s committee to re-open museums, and the City of Chicago has additionally announced her upcoming co-chairmanship of the newly announced advisory committee charged to “review the City’s current public art inventory and identify and prioritize artworks that may be problematic,” and to create a plan to erect a series of new monuments that equitably acknowledge Chicago’s shared history.  CADA and UIC wish Scott the best in her leadership of this important endeavor for our City.

Sincerely,

Susan Poser
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Rebecca Rugg
Dean, College of Architecture, Design and the Arts