Mary Schmidt Campbell (born October 21, 1947), is an American academic administrator and museum curator. She began her tenure as the 10th president of Spelman College on August 1, 2015. Prior to this position, Schmidt Campbell held several positions in New York City's cultural sector. Early life and education Schmidt Campbell was born to Elaine and Harvey Schmidt in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 21, 1947. She attended Philadelphia High School for Girls. After earning a bachelor of arts degree in English literature from Swarthmore College in 1969, Schmidt Campbell taught English literature at Nkumbi International College in Zambia. She returned to the U.S. and studied art history at Syracuse University, graduating with a masters. She later earned a doctorate in humanities from Syracuse University. Her 1982 doctoral dissertation followed the life of the Afro-American artist, Romare Bearden, and his quest struggle to "create a timeless and enduring body of work without relinquishing his unique individual identity." Career In 1974, Schmidt Campbell became a curator of the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, New York and the art editor at Syracuse New Times. Studio Museum in Harlem Her career in New York began at the Studio Museum in Harlem during a time when the City was on the verge of bankruptcy and Harlem was in steep decline. Under her leadership, the Museum was transformed from a rented loft to the country's first accredited Black fine arts museum. From 1977–1987, Schmidt Campbell served as executive director of the Studio Museum. During her tenure, Schmidt Campbell steered the museum from a struggling organization located in a loft space above a liquor store to a 60,000 sq. ft. building and into one of the nation's premier black fine-arts museums with an annual $2 million budget. At the time, the museum was the only one of its kind to be accredited by the American Association of Museums. Noticing the lack of a facility that could adequately communicate African-American art's "depth and range," she organized a series of exhibitions devoted to the country's leading black artists. New York City Department of Cultural Affairs In 1987, New York Mayor Ed Koch, invited Schmidt Campbell to serve as the City's cultural affairs commissioner. In this role, she led the Department of Cultural Affairs which oversees the operations and capital development of the city's major cultural institutions. As a commissioner, she gained a reputation as an advocate for large