From the inside, MECA’s Staff Exhibition

Phil Stevens is the Assistant Controller in our Business Office. He does an excellent job helping to keep the books balanced as evidenced by the fact that the college has a long and enviable history of balanced budgets. Phil is part of a team that insures we are financially sound and fiscally prudent.

He is also a painter and a graduate of the college, class of 1991. Currently, three of his coastal landscapes are featured in “From the Inside,” an annual exhibition of art by staff members. The show was curated by another staff member, Stephen Quirk ‘00, who works in the Technology Department.

It was wonderful to see Phil’s work as an artist. For him, the day-today work in the office is quite personal. As he reflects,“After graduation I decided to continue working at MECA because I wanted to stay connected with the art community. I enjoy going to the visiting artist lectures and seeing the student work. This exposure helps inform my art making process. My preference is to work for a smaller institution like MECA where my position allows me to work on a wide variety of issues and use my accounting and technology skills.”

Phil is undoubtedly the most regular attendee at artist lectures. He also serves on committees that support the college’s academic side, such as those involving service learning and community outreach. He is not unusual in this regard; a number of staff members are graduates and keep involved in the educational side of the college including teaching and serving on committees. He is characteristic of the personal commitment many of the staff have made to the school.

I have gotten to know Phil best through his periodic e-mails to me to call attention to a variety of issues about the college. His e-mails usually discuss ways to improve the quality of what we offer our students. He has their interests in the front of his mind. I know this personally; I have periodically followed up on his missives to discuss his ideas and recommendations in detail.

I deeply appreciate Phil’s commitment to the college. It is good to know that he brings the sensibilities of an artist and his personal commitment to the college as he helps insure our financial security.