The College of the Arts is pleased to announce and congratulate Jac Kuntz, Public Relations Coordinator for the Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design, as the recipient of the 2023 COTA Outstanding Staff Award. The college is privileged to have had a slate of excellent nominee submissions this year, making the process challenging and highly selective.
Jac Kuntz has served the Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design for 6 years as Public Relations Coordinator, taking on the role as the school was incorporated into the newly created College of the Arts. Jac introduced the semi-annual Open Studio event, which has become a calling card for the school where faculty and M.F.A. students open their doors to our local and university community. She has played an integral role in supporting the growth of the Visiting Artist and Scholar Lecture Series which features artists with diverse and challenging bodies of work, and she goes above and beyond attending each event on the Welch School calendar in addition to numerous faculty and alumni events in the local art community. Her ongoing marketing efforts bolster the profile of the school both in our local community and in the broader art world, raising with it the reputation of the College of the Arts and of Georgia State University.
“Jac Kuntz has proven to be an exemplary hire, a consummate professional, a beloved colleague, and a tireless champion of the faculty, students and alumni of the Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design,” said Director Michael White. “She brings a work ethic and passion to be admired and is a leader in advancing the school’s mission on every front.”
Among the nominations, it is noted by her colleagues that Jac’s impressive professionalism is matched only by her strength of character. Her congeniality makes her a joy to work with, and her kindness and patience are extended to anyone who walks into her door. From the newest student to the most senior member among us, everyone she works with is afforded the same respect, enthusiasm and consideration, making her an exemplary co-worker.
Jac earned a Master of Arts Journalism from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and holds a B.A. in Psychology and a B.F.A. in Painting with a minor concentration in art history from Clemson University in South Carolina. She has experience working in both commercial and educational fine art galleries and currently works as a freelance critic, journalist, and copy editor. Her research and ongoing project, “Where the Clay is Red,” examines contemporary art in the South through an anthropological and journalistic lens.
The college would like to thank the members of the committee for their service in this process, as well as everyone who submitted a nomination or letter of support. Please join us all in congratulating Jac.