Our program brings together knowledge from anthropology, history, folklore, ethnomusicology, communi Our M.A.
Goucher's Master of Arts in Cultural Sustainability is a completely unique new program. We teach our students how to work closely with individuals and communities to identify, protect, and enhance their important traditions, their ways of life, their cherished spaces, and their vital relationships to each other and the world. In this era of increasing homogeneity and globalization, local history,
04/02/2026
Join us for an overview of the MA in Cultural Leadership & Management at Goucher College and learn more about the program’s curriculum, practitioner faculty, applied learning opportunities, the application process, and career pathways. Register today to secure your spot at the April 7th webinar: https://gradprograms.goucher.edu/register/?id=62ded2bd-ff43-448e-ae3f-82510a167383
03/10/2026
M.A.C.S. has evolved into the M.A. in Cultural Leadership and Management (M.A.C.L.M.)!
The M.A. in Cultural Leadership and Management prepares students for leadership roles in mission-driven organizations by combining cultural competence with management training and applied learning. Building on principles of cultural sustainability—working with communities through reciprocal relationships and ethical practice—the program develops students' capacity to lead with integrity while navigating organizational complexity.
Read our announcement here:
New Graduate Program Name and Enhanced Curriculum to Prepare the Next Generation of Cultural Leaders | Goucher College The M.A. in Cultural Sustainability evolves into the M.A. in Cultural Leadership and Management to address growing demand for mission-driven leaders
02/10/2026
Travel to Bhutan with Goucher!
🌿Open to Goucher College undergraduates, MAHP/MACS/MAES graduate students, and grad program alumnae/i!
🌿Join us for an information session and learn more Bhutan and how you can study abroad there.
🌿Application links in our bio
🌿Email [email protected] with questions
01/31/2026
We are so excited to share this interview with MACS alumna Nakia Zavalla about her accomplishments and her new role. Our graduates are doing amazing things in the world.
In December, the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council elected its first Executive chair, Nakia Zavalla. We met with Nakia to hear her reflections on being the first Chair and on the first year journey of the sanctuary. Here is what she had to say:
What does it mean to you to be the first executive chair?
Nakia: “It’s a privilege to serve as Executive Chair of the Sanctuary Advisory Council and to help shape its future with honor and guidance by Indigenous Cultural Heritage, specifically Chumash culture. This is a moment of opportunity—one that calls us to rise to the challenges ahead with vision and unity. Together, with our advisory committee members and community, we can create lasting impact and protect what matters most.”
What would you like to share about the sanctuary being one year out from designation?
Nakia: " One year after designation, we’ve made progress in creating our Sanctuary Advisory Council, but the journey ahead is just as important. This milestone reminds us that protecting the sanctuary is a shared responsibility—one that requires continued collaboration, innovation, and respect for the cultural and ecological heritage that makes this place unique. Together, we have the opportunity to create a lasting legacy for future generations."
Thank you, Nakia, for your leadership and for sharing your time and words.
Photo Credit: Nakia Zavalla / NOAA
Grow your opportunities and your purpose with Goucher College’s Graduate and Professional Studies programs. Whether you're exploring Cultural Sustainability, Digital Communication, Environmental Management, or one of our many other paths, our flexible formats meet you where you are.
Hear from M.A.C.S. student Naomi Lang as she shares how the hybrid low-residency model supported her goals and why it was the right fit.
Apply by December 5 to join us for Winter 2026: https://www.goucher.edu/learn/graduate-programs/
11/24/2025
MACS student Naomi Lang shares some thoughts about thd program.
11/05/2025
If you missed our conversation this week with former MACS director Amy Skillman and current MACS student Jon Engel about why cultural sustainability matters at this moment in time, you can access the recording on our YouTube Channel here:
Why Cultural Sustainability Matters, November 2025 Join former director of the MA in Cultural Sustainability and current student Jon Engel as they talk about whiy cultural sustainability matters to them at th...
10/30/2025
Faculty and former director of the MA in Cultural Sustainability gave her Presidential Address at the annual meeting of the American Folklore Society in Atlanta. Drawing on her research with women sea captains and their storm stories, she shared strategies for navigating risk and fear in the storm. No, she did not wear the life jacket through the entire talk.
10/24/2025
We couldn't be more proud of these four recent MACS graduates who presented about their Capstone projects on a panel at the annual meeting of the American Folklore Society in Atlanta, Georgia. The panel was moderated beautifully by our own Rayna Russom. L to R: Sandra Howard, Masha Brown, Cory France, and Stacie Cutbank.
10/08/2025
Join the Journey from Truth to Reconciliation conference in person or online! This event is organized by the Maryland Lynching Memorial Project and will feature Goucher MACS alumna Asiyah Kurtz and Goucher MA in Historic Preservation scholar, Darius Johnson. Register here: https://mdlynchingmemorial.networkforgood.com/events/89309-8th-annual-lynching-in-maryland-annual-conference?hid=NTM1NzQ5MDU=&utm_campaign=dms_email_blast_4169740
10/08/2025
Webinar – Black Cemetery Citizenship: Memory, Place, and the Stakes of Care
Tuesday, October 14, 12 PM ET
What does it mean to practice Black cemetery citizenship in places burdened by erasure yet sustained through community care? In this session, Cory France, Goucher College MACS and MAHP ’25, presents their capstone project, Scenes at the Stakes, which explores descendant-led efforts to preserve Palmetto Cemetery, a historic African American burial ground in Columbia, South Carolina. Bridging immersive fieldwork, historical research, and oral accounts, the project examines how Black communities hold ground, confront loss, and reclaim memory beyond conventional preservation frameworks.
To register: https://gradprograms.goucher.edu/register/?id=4a4e2c4a-bb79-439d-8178-c2f510cafe17
09/25/2025
Webinar: Behind the Scenes with Our Faculty: Memory, History, and Reconciliation
Monday, October 6 | 12 PM ET
Meet two of our professional practitioner faculty: Amy Millin, member of the Maryland Lynching Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and Kelly Elaine Navies, oral historian at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.
From truth and reconciliation hearings to oral histories of social justice, their work spans communities and cultures.
Thinking about grad school? Faculty matter. Learn who they are beyond the classroom, their research passions, and how they put cultural sustainability into practice.
Register here: https://gradprograms.goucher.edu/register/?id=86b7eb5a-9325-4f2d-bb29-7f7bc31413e1