The Bowdoin College Museum of Art is an imposing sight. Its glass entryway juts sharply into the sky, juxtaposed against a prestigious stone building inscribed with the names of historic artists and flanked by standing lions. Rather than be intimidated by this awe-inspiring scene, Chris Omachi '12 decided to help make it a little more welcoming.
"I've had a great experience with the Museum and its staff and I hope to provide that for every student at Bowdoin," said Omachi. "I think it's a real shame that so many go through their college careers without stepping a foot in the Museum. I realize it can be an intimidating place, but it really shouldn't be."
Such a belief led to the creation of the Student Museum Advisory Committee, (SMAC). The group, started in the fall of 2009, is the result of sophomore Stephen Roth's brainstorming.
"Stephen asked me to be a part of SMAC pretty much right away," said Omachi. "I was connected with Entertainment Board (E-Board) and they wanted someone to help out with the event side of things."
SMAC's main goal is to bring students into the Museum and student voices to the ears of the Museum staff. The group works closely with the Museum's Curatorial Assistant Kate Herlihy '08 and members have the opportunity to catch a glimpse into the inner-workings of Museum life.
"SMAC acts as an outlet for students who are interested in the art world or museums," said Omachi. "They can interact with art beyond just the visual art or art history departments."
At its weekly meetings with Herlihy, the group discusses upcoming exhibits and events, and brainstorms how it can attract Bowdoin students to the museum. SMAC's first event of the school year, the Class of 2014 ice cream social, was a great success, attracting over 250 first years.
"It was a great way to kick off the semester," said Omachi. "It shows SMAC's capabilities as a group on campus."
Although he initially envisioned majoring in government, Omachi became interested in art while completing a first year seminar entitled "Picasso and Matisse."
"My mom is a lawyer so I always had law school in the back of my mind," Omachi said. "But I really loved my art history seminar with Pamela Fletcher from my first year spring, and I decided to try out more art history classes my sophomore fall."
After a couple more courses, Omachi was hooked and he left his courtroom aspirations behind for a more creative track.
"After seeing some friends and family members go through law school, I realized that it is not for me," said Omachi. "I intend to do some museum work post-college and perhaps go to business school instead."
While working at an outdoor adventure company based in Brunswick this summer, Omachi was also able to explore a professional path in volunteering at the Museum.
"I worked with Kate Herlihy this summer, and it was great," said Omachi. "We discussed budgets for SMAC, plans for this semester, and what we envision the group's future to look like. Being able to work at the Museum while enjoying the Maine landscape was pretty awesome."
His enthusiasm for both the outdoor and art world has carried into the fall, after leading a successful Pre-Orientation trip, getting a SMAC off to a promising start.
"I expect great things from SMAC this year," said Omachi. "We are cosponsoring a Parents Weekend event with E-Board that I am very excited about, and we are working on increasing visibility and membership. I'm looking forward to seeing SMAC develop into a real presence on campus for the benefit of students and the Museum."
With promising potential at his fingertips, such a goal cannot be far away.