Kathrine Schlageck Announces Retirement as Associate Curator of Education at the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art.
After 30 years of dedicated service, Kathrine Schlageck, Associate Curator of Education at the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art at Kansas State University, has announced her retirement, effective March 21, 2025.
Schlageck has been an integral part of the museum’s growth and impact on the Manhattan and K-State communities. As the founder of the museum’s education department, she has played a pivotal role in shaping its outreach and engagement, developing innovative programs that have made art accessible to audiences of all ages.
“It is with mixed emotions that I announce my retirement from the Beach Museum of Art in order to spend more time with family,” said Schlageck. “The past 30 years have been totally fulfilling as I have served both the University and Manhattan area community. I am proud to have built the museum’s education department from scratch and work with a top-notch team of professionals, students, and volunteers. I will miss connecting with children, visitors, and K-State faculty and students, but will always be the ‘Art Lady’ in my heart.”
Throughout her tenure, Schlageck established numerous impactful programs, including the ARTSmart Program, Summer Fun Camp (which focused on working with children with autism), and Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) initiatives with area schools. She also worked closely with K-State’s Leadership Studies and Communications programs, as well as Kansas Childcare Training Opportunities, where she helped integrate art into early childhood education.
Her contributions extended beyond the museum, as she played an active role in regional and national museum education efforts. She represented the Beach Museum on the Mountain-Plains Museum Association (MPMA) board and served on the National EdCOM board for many years, advocating for the importance of education in the arts.
“Kathrine’s dedication and passion for arts education have left an indelible mark on the Beach Museum of Art and the community it serves,” said Kent Michael Smith, Director of the Beach Museum of Art. “Her ability to connect with people of all ages and make art accessible to everyone is truly inspiring. While we will greatly miss her presence, her work will continue to have a lasting legacy through the museum’s ongoing educational components she helped to shape.”
Schlageck’s work has been recognized with numerous awards, including the KAWSE Award/K-State Women of Excellence (2022), the MPMA Education Committee Award for Excellence in Programming (2014), and the Kansas Governor’s Arts Award for Education (2009), among others. As she embarks on this new chapter, she leaves behind a museum education program that will continue to thrive, thanks to her years of dedication, and leadership.
