Since the Memorial Student Center was established in 1951, one of its primary
goals has been to bring high quality art into the daily environment of the
Texas A&M student body. Texas A&M’s land grant mission has not
allowed it to focus strongly on the visual arts in its academic programs; so
the Memorial Student Center has accepted the responsibility of bringing art
to the student body through co-curricular programming.
Mr. J.W. “Bill” Runyon ’35 and his late wife Irma became
collectors of fine art many years ago. Because of their love for art and their
love for Texas A&M, they determined that they would someday offer their
collections to the Memorial Student Center to be placed in the “center” of
student life at Texas A&M. Their desire was that their art be displayed
in a comfortable and welcoming setting, so that students would naturally be
drawn into a relationship with the art.
The Memorial Student Center is honored by and takes very seriously the responsibility
of caring for and displaying the Bill and Irma Runyon Art Collections. We see
the Runyon Collections and the Forsyth Center Galleries as an excellent opportunity
for Texas A&M students both to view fine art and to become involved in
the managing and programming of major collections. The Runyon Collections thus
allow the MSC to accomplish another of its major goals: to provide students
with a hands-on leadership and managerial experience. The students of the MSC
Visual Arts Committee will work closely with the professional staff to learn
exhibition and curatorial skills.
The MSC is aware that the importance of certain elements of the Bill and Irma
Runyon Collections dictates that our efforts transcend our traditional goals
of programming and student development. The English Cameo Glass Collection,
for example, is of both national and international importance. We have an obligation
to properly research, document and interpret that Collection. So little has
been written about this type of art, that we must find the time to research
more fully the nature and extent of this art movement. The Memorial Student
Center will make every effort to support its curatorial staff so as to broaden
the knowledge about these rare and beautiful art objects.
James R. Reynolds, Director
Memorial Student Center
