In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been a great many adjustments that have needed to happen on campus.
In accordance with social distancing guidelines, many activities and services that were once offered on campus have either been canceled or altered in some way to keep both the Gannon and Erie communities safe.
One of the things on campus that has seen some change is the Schuster Gallery, located on the first floor of the Center for Communication and the Arts.
Those who have passed by may notice that the exhibit that is on display, “Women Artists” is the same one as was featured at the end of the spring semester. This was a deliberate choice by Lori Steadman, the director of the gallery.
“It just didn’t get honored the way we wanted,” Steadman said, and because of this, she has decided to keep it on display for the Gannon family to see and enjoy.
Although the doors are closed to the public, if any Gannon student should wish to go and visit the gallery, they are more than welcome.
“If you see somebody in here, feel free to come in,” Steadman said.
The space inside the Gallery has plenty of room for social distancing. The “Women Artists” exhibit will run until mid-October and will be replaced by the gallery’s annual photo competition, whose theme will be “Visual Gifts from Home and Abroad.”
The competition is run in conjunction with the Office of Global Support and Student Engagement.
During last year’s competition, Steadman said over 400 submissions tried to get in, but only 30 works were exhibited.
Any Gannon student is eligible to enter a maximum of three photographs to the competition, so long as the photos have been taken within the last year.
While many things are different now compared to this time last year, there are still some constants that the Gannon family can rely on, and at this point, one of the most important constants is the Schuster Gallery.
Although there have been a couple adjustments to how everything works, the consistent quality and pleasant atmosphere of the gallery are as strong as ever.
For more information about the annual photo competition, contact Marilee Wilkosz at [email protected] or Steadman at [email protected]. To keep up to date about the goings on at the Schuster Gallery, be sure to check the Facebook page and website where more information is soon to be added.

BENJAMIN HAYLETT
[email protected]