From Faculty to Family: The Legacy of Arts Management Mentors

^{Above: Claire Long ’11 and Judith Allen}

Claire Long ’11 knew there was something special about Judith Allen when she first met the then–adjunct arts management professor at a reception celebrating the new Scott Shanklin-Peterson fund in 2017. What she didn’t know was that Allen would change her life.

“I was attending the event with my parents, and we started talking and never stopped,” says Long, who – after earning her master’s in arts management at Carnegie Mellon University – had returned to her alma mater as the program coordinator for the Arts Management Program the year before.

Long, who went on to serve as the College’s director of experiential learning and in her current position as an adjunct instructor of arts management, notes that Allen shaped the trajectory of her career. “I never would have pursued a Ph.D. in leadership at Anderson University if it weren’t for Judith pushing me.

“At the time, she saw the bigger picture and encouraged me to jump. She is someone who I admire wholeheartedly,” continues Long, “so I did jump.” 

Says Allen, “I never wanted Claire to miss any new opportunity she crossed paths with. I believe that, even though she has a degree in arts management, a person should never be tied down to one career path.”

From Arts to Academia – and everything in between

Allen – an accomplished arts and nonprofit executive with experience spanning arts leadership, education and hospital administration – certainly never felt bound to one certain career path.

With specialties in organizational planning, executive recruitment, financial oversight and facility development, Allen spent much of her career leading major capital and endowment initiatives.

She’s held leadership roles at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and University of Rhode Island, and spent 15 years in hospital administration, including as Rhode Island Hospital’s vice president of human resources.

As managing director of The Bushnell in Hartford, Connecticut, she completed the restoration of the historic 1929 venue and implemented a successful renewal plan.

As president of the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, from 1990 to 2003, Allen grew the organization into a nationally recognized $22-million operation. She oversaw construction of the center’s 190,000-square-foot, two-theater complex; led the restoration and adaptive reuse of Spirit Square; and founded the Blumenthal Education Institute, a national model for arts-integrated education. 

When she joined the College’s Arts Management Program in 2012, Allen brought her rich experience to students in the internship course, guiding them through real-world professional experiences.

She later created and taught Life and Career Planning, a senior seminar designed to go beyond traditional career preparation. Through this course, Allen empowered students to reflect on their values, set meaningful goals and pursue creative and professional paths with confidence and clarity. 

In 2018, Allen received the President Harry Lightsey Humanitarian Award during the College’s ExCEL Awards for her dedication to service and education. Fittingly, that award now sits beside the Tony Award the Independent Presenters Network won for the Broadway production of Thoroughly Modern Millie while she was with The Bushnell: a perfect symbol of her remarkable impact on both the arts and academia.

Impactful Appreciation

Allen had a special impact on her students, too.

One semester, to show their appreciation, her students sang the Beatles’ “Hey Jude” to her on the last day of class.

“To me ‘Hey Jude’ was a way of my students saying thank you,” says Allen. “It is something I will cherish forever.” 

“That’s just the kind of connection she had with everyone,” says Long, whose own relationship with Allen grew stronger over the years. Even her parents, Patti and Roger, became part of the mix. “Judith is family to us.”

“Claire, Patti and Roger have been the greatest of friends and support system to me,” concurs Allen. “When my husband passed, they were there for me.” 

She wanted to give back – not only to the Long family, but also to the Arts Management Program and the students.

“I never wanted to hear that a student couldn’t afford clothes or even a safe way to get home,” says Allen, who – in a selfless act that reflects her deep commitment to both the institution and its students – quietly donated her adjunct paycheck back to the Arts Management Program every semester that she taught. “They also shouldn’t have to work extra hours when they’re trying to focus on school.” 

Allen wanted to give students with financial need a boost, and also to make a lasting tribute to the love and support the Long family has shown and continues to show her. So, to create a legacy for the Long family and help students in the same generous way the Longs had supported her, she established the Long Family Arts Management Enrichment Endowed Scholarship.

“I was in utter surprise to learn that the scholarship was named after my family,” says Long.

Mentorship that lasts

After teaching arts management part time at the College for nearly a decade, Allen retired in the spring of 2021.

But that hasn’t stopped her former students from reaching out during key life and career transitions.

She continues to meet with former students to offer advice, help with job interviews and review résumés, continuing the same dedication and care that has defined her career. 

“She recognizes everyone’s potential and makes sure that anyone who crosses her path pursues what they truly want to do,” says Long. “I couldn’t have been more thankful for her mentorship and the impact she’s had through the years, not only on me and my family, but others as well.”