Graduate faculty updates

Maine College of Art offers a Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art (MFA), Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), and a Salt Graduate Certificate in Documentary Studies. MECA’s community is as diverse and unique as each individual artist within it, and each new student adds immeasurably to the vibrancy of our community. Applications are evaluated individually, with consideration given to the strength of the portfolio and academic achievement.

Master of Arts in Teaching
Dr. Rachel Somerville, Ed.D. has been named the Interim Program Chair of Art Education in addition to her role as Assistant Professor. Dr. Somerville holds a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of California, Davis. Her doctoral work centered on research that bridges the divide among innovation, community, and education, studying makerspaces within formal education and examining teachers as early implementers of this movement and the academic conditions that foster creativity. Dr. Somerville’s approach to teaching emphasizes collaboration, creativity, and student voice. 

Salt Institute for Documentary Studies 
Isaac Kestenbaum has been hired as the new Director of the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies at Maine College of Art. He is a 2008 graduate of the Salt Institute and an award-winning veteran audio producer and journalist, bringing more than ten years of industry experience to MECA. Kestenbaum has worked with Vox, NPR, Crooked Media, The GroundTruth Project, AIR, and Audible Originals and has taught and led workshops for UnionDocs, University of Virginia, New York University and Monson Arts. Additionally, he is the former Production Manager at the national oral history and radio project StoryCorps.

Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art
Students choose from Maine College of Art’s Low or Full Residency options. MECA’s Full Residency MFA gives students the opportunity to move to the Arts District in Portland, Maine, with 24/7 studio access. Among the first low residency MFA Programs in the country, MECA’s low residency MFA combines intense periods of on-campus instruction with the freedom and independence of working from any home location, anywhere in the world. Featuring renowned faculty, visiting artists and carefully selected graduate advisors, the curriculum emphasizes the intersection of studio production, individual research, and critical analysis. 

Application deadlines

Master of Fine Arts, summer 2021
Full-tuition scholarship deadline: January 22, 2021
Priority Deadline: February 26, 2021

Master of Arts in Teaching, summer 2021
Early action deadline: December 1, 2020
Priority deadline: February 26, 2021

Salt Graduate Certificate in Documentary Studies, spring 2021
Radio & Podcasting or Short Film
Fellowship deadline: Friday, November 13, 2020*
Priority application deadline: Friday, December 4, 2020

Salt Graduate Certificate in Documentary Studies, fall 2021
Radio & Podcasting or Short Film
Fellowship deadline: Saturday, May 1, 2021*
Priority application deadline: Friday, August 13, 2021

*The Salt Diversity Fellowship
As part of Salt at MECA’s commitment to training the next generation of storytellers, MECA is pleased to offer the Salt Diversity Fellowship. The Fellowship supports the work of students from underrepresented communities—such as Black, Indigenous, People of Color; ethnic and religious minorities; individuals across the gender spectrum; variously-abled people; the LGBTQIA community; low-income learners; and others who would thrive at Salt. To be eligible, the Fellowship applicant must also be accepted into the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies Graduate Certificate Program at MECA. 

Salt workshops and classes
Salt is first and foremost a rigorous, intensive learning experience that thrusts would-be documentarians into the professional learning experience of a 15-week Graduate Certificate, preparing them for professional work in Podcasting, Radio, and Short Film. In addition to the Certificate, Salt also offers short, weekend and one-to-two week-long workshops in-person and online geared towards professional development. Salt also offers a for-credit, undergraduate introduction to storytelling course through MECA’s Continuing & Professional Studies program, and Salt is developing new, accredited undergraduate and graduate programming for launch in the future. Recent classes include: Personal Podcasting / Producing a Biographical Short Film / Learning the Basics: Audio Recording for Beginners / Working with Archives: Oral History or Audio Short / Salt Presents: An Intro to Visual Storytelling (3-credits, undergraduate).