ASU Professor Appointed to Professional Art Organizations

By ASU News Services

Dr. Mary Soylu, Assistant Professor of Visual Arts, was recently appointed to two professional art organizations — The Alabama Art Education Association's (AAEA) Board of Directors as EDI Chair and The National Art Education Association's Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (ED&I) Commission for the 2023-2025 term.

The AAEA is a professional organization of art educators in Alabama affiliated with the National Art Education Association (NAEA). The mission of AAEA is to advocate for the highest quality visual arts education and provide for the advancement of knowledge through service, leadership and research.

Soylu said she is excited about her new appointments.

“I look forward to serving on the board to help it continue to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion in the arts in Alabama,” Dr. Soylu said.

The ED&I commission was launched in 2019 and works to ensure an inclusive professional community open to all. This ED&I initiative was developed in part to help NAEA’s 17,500 members better serve their students and support their colleagues—including those who are often marginalized due to their race, class, gender, and more.

Commissioners will work in concert with the NAEA Board of Directors, state association affiliates, and members to respond to previously unaddressed and newly emerging issues, to advance NAEA ED&I priorities.

Soylu will travel to NAEA's national headquarters in Alexandria, Va., this summer to meet with the commission and begin work.