McKee named director of Kutsche Office of Local History

Kimberly McKee, assistant professor of liberal studies, was named the new director of the Kutsche Office of Local History.

The announcement was made May 11 by Anne Hiskes, dean of the Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies. The Kutsche Office, housed in Brooks College, gives voice to diverse communities by supporting local history and cultural heritage organizations and people in West Michigan.

“I am confident that Dr. McKee will continue to advance the mission of the Kutsche Office both through its well-established programs and through exciting new projects,” Hiskes said.

McKee will begin her appointment August 6, but will work closely over the summer with outgoing director Melanie Shell-Weiss. Hiskes thanked Shell-Weiss for her efforts to increase the impact and visibility of the office.

McKee, who joined Grand Valley’s faculty in 2014, brings a rich history of working with community-based organizations. She has been the assistant director of the Korean American Adoptee Adoptive Family Network since 2011, and has worked with the New York Governor’s Committee on Scholastic Achievement and the Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America.

She said the office’s commitment to giving voice to diverse populations and supporting research projects drew her initial interest. “Current Kutsche projects documenting the oral histories of Asian Americans in West Michigan, agricultural workers in Oceana county, and urban Native Americans are aligned with my research, teaching, and service interests,” McKee said.

In mid-June, the Kutsche Office will partner with the Oceana County Historical and Genealogical Society to collect oral histories from migrant workers and county residents. 

For more information about the office, visit www.gvsu.edu/kutsche.