She currently serves as President of Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt)—the nation’s only independent public college of art and design—where she brings a clear vision, deep care, and a lifelong belief in the power of creativity and education.
A dedicated advocate for public colleges and universities, Dr. Grant has also led the University of North Carolina Asheville as Chancellor and served for thirteen years as President of her alma mater, the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA), advancing civic learning, student success, and institutional growth. She also served as President and CEO of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate and as Senior Administrative Fellow for Civics and Social Justice, leading the Martin Richard Institute at Bridgewater State University.
Throughout her career, Dr. Grant has emphasized that education is not only about earning a degree—it’s about discovering purpose and preparing for a meaningful life. She is a strong voice for public service, civic dialogue, and the role of higher education in shaping the next generation of citizens and leaders. Known for her commitment to expanding access and opportunity, she is a champion of equity, inclusion, and the power of creative education as essential to building stronger communities.
Beyond campus, she contributes her leadership to several regional and national organizations. She is Vice Chair of the Board of the Norman Rockwell Museum, Past Chair of the National Campus Compact Board, Secretary of AICAD, an ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge Presidents’ Council member, and serves on advisory and nominating panels for EdVestors, Boston Public Schools, and the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. She’s also a regular contributor on GBH’s The Culture Show with Jared Bowen.
In every role, Dr. Grant has worked alongside students, faculty, and community members to lead with creativity, care, and purpose. A first-generation college graduate, she understands firsthand the impact of higher education—and continues to champion its promise every day.
As President of MassArt, Dr. Grant is leading a campaign to raise the College’s institutional profile and is committed to amplifying MassArt’s legacy of access to an excellent art and design education, and to elevating the critical role of the arts as a driver of a thriving economy.
Published during President Mary K. Grant’s fifth year at MassArt, Creativity, Community, and Purpose celebrates the students, faculty, staff, and alumni putting art and design into action—strengthening communities, inspiring new ideas, and advancing the public good.
Read MassArt: Creativity, Community, and Purpose (opens in new tab)President Grant has built a diverse leadership team, raised MassArt’s profile, and achieved a robust return to full enrollment after the pandemic. At the same time, she has built ties between the College and the Commonwealth’s corporate and legislative communities, deepened local partnerships, and continued to strengthen MassArt’s commitment to social justice and equity by hosting important events such as the Embrace Ideas Festival.
Under her leadership, MassArt has also partnered with the City of Boston to offer a roster of free professional development opportunities to residents, including the Creative Economy Incubator, an innovative program designed to foster creative entrepreneurship.
Dr. Grant has continued to position the College as a rich resource to the Commonwealth by encouraging free and inclusive programming that welcomes the broader community onto campus for exhibitions, lectures, and activities such as Art on the Plaza, offered by the MassArt Art Museum.
Prior to joining MassArt, President Grant held numerous leadership positions in which she oversaw key social justice and civic engagement initiatives. As the Senior Administrative Fellow for Civics and Social Justice at the Martin Richard Institute for Social Justice at Bridgewater State University, Dr. Grant developed new community and national partners and led a campus racial justice task force to identify and address factors influencing systemic racism on campus and the wider community. While President and CEO of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, Dr. Grant furthered the Institute’s commitment to civic engagement, participatory democracy, civil discourse, and inspiring the next generation of citizens and leaders through strategic planning, identifying new financial support, and forging new partnerships for success and sustainability.
Achievements at UNC Asheville
As Chancellor of the University of North Carolina Asheville Dr. Grant elevated investment in the arts and pushed the University to build critical community relationships. She led the establishment of the STEAM Studio, a state-of-the-art 12,000 square foot makers’ space providing hands-on experiences for aspiring makers, engineers and entrepreneurs, and secured $700,000 in funding from the Mellon Foundation to connect UNC Asheville arts and humanities programming with the greater Asheville community. Additionally, Dr. Grant renewed partnerships with Mission Health, Black Mountain College, and the Center for Craft, Creativity and Design, and spearheaded an effort to welcome and re-engage the greater Asheville African American community and neighboring Cherokee Nation with the UNCA campus.
Transformational Leadership at MCLA
During her twelve-year term as President of the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA), Dr. Grant dramatically raised the profile of the institution while also strengthening ties between the College and the City of North Adams. She led the establishment of MCLA Gallery 51, a unique collaboration of MCLA, MASS MoCa, North Adams, and area business and community leaders, serving as a creative hub, a gathering place, and an incubator of innovation. These efforts in turn led to the DownStreet Art and Open Studios initiatives and later the Partnership for North Adams, an economic development initiative to revitalize Main Street. At the same time, Dr. Grant spearheaded numerous fundraising campaigns, including $54 million in state capital bond funding to build the Center for Science and Innovation, as well as grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Special Assistant to the President & Secretary to the Board of Trustees
Vice President for Strategic Engagement and Chief of Staff
