Members and friends are invited to a retirement party for Schafroth on Sunday, August 13th at Maryhill Museum of Art in the museum’s MJ Murdock Charitable Trust Education Center from 2:00-5:00 p.m. Schafroth announced her retirement in March 2023. She worked for the museum for 37 years. Beginning her tenure as executive director in 2001, Schafroth led the addition of the $10 million Mary and Bruce Stevenson Wing, dedicated in 2012, the $3.6 million renovation of the historic building between 2001-2003, as well as a stucco renovation campaign in 2016.
“It has been my great honor working for Maryhill Museum of Art for the past 37 years, a place that will always be in my heart,”
Colleen Schafroth
Schafroth’s leadership resulted in the accreditation of the Museum by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) in 2002. She was instrumental in negotiating a wind-energy partnership that has generated more than $200,000 annually for the museum since it was implemented in 2009 and deftly navigated the museum through the extremely difficult COVID-19 pandemic. “We are extremely grateful to Colleen and her staff over the years for the stable and responsive leadership that has designed the strong foundation for Maryhill’s next 100 years,” said Board Chair Laura Muehleck.
“It has been my great honor working for Maryhill Museum of Art for the past 37 years, a place that will always be in my heart,” said Schafroth who noted her emphasis at Maryhill was educational and, especially, in reaching out to students, which is what she is proudest about, as well as Museum Week, the Summer Art Institute and her curatorial work with chess sets. “The museum will be in good hands with its new executive director, and I look forward to seeing its next chapter.”