Recent Professional History
June, 2019 - present
Currently Scholar in Residence and Library Coordinator at Trinidad State in Trinidad, CO, where I have completed a Long Range Master Plan for the new Museum of Southeastern Colorado that will include the Louden-Henritze Archaeology Museum, a traveling exhibition and rotating exhibits gallery for regional artists, a cultural and natural history Timeline, a lecture and film theater, a children's educational space and a glass elevator that looks out at Fishers Peak and the new State Park as well as a large mural that illustrates not only the Spanish Peaks and the rivers emanating from them, but also the chronological prehistory and cultural history of the geology, paleontology, Native Americans, the Anglo explorers, the trappers and traders, the trail builders and miners and the entrepreneurs and the village builders. The basement level will present exhibits related to origins of the premier Gunsmithing School in the Nation as well as its historic firearms collection with demonstrations of the art and expertise required to preserve this part of our heritage.
June, 2007 - June 2012 - Executive Director, Western Heritage Museum Complex and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame and Director of the Southeastern New Mexico Archaeological Research/Resource Center and the Sanderson Mammoth Site. Expanded the physical facilities into a Complex which includes the Western Heritage Museum, the Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame, the Southeastern New Mexico Archaeological Research/Resource Center, the Llano Estacado and Queracho Plains Nature Trails and the proposed Oil Field Workers Memorial. Established a logo, library, website, traveling and in-house exhibitions, docent training, a film series, distinguished lecturers, book signings, and a summer archaeological camp for young people. Served as board member for the Lea County Commission on the Arts, the Convention and Tourism Committee for the Hobbs Chamber of Commerce, Historical Society of New Mexico and Chair of the Culture and Arts Standing Committee for New Mexico Junior College and the Lea County Statehood Centennial Committee. Held several symposia including, "Water, Water Everywhere, But Will There Be A Drop to Drink?", the 46th Annual Symposium of the Southwestern Federation of Archaeological Societies and co-hosted the Sesquicentennial New Mexico History Conference for the Historical Society of New Mexico. Created several traveling exhibitions including "Historical Petroleum Stock Certificates", "Cowboy Art and Ranch Photography" by Russ Hill and "The Folsom Man Discovery Site" which opened in the rotunda of the New Mexico State Capitol. Increased attendance from being closed upon arrival to almost 20,000 annually in five years with a population base of approximately 45,000.
February, 1983 - June, 2003 - Director of the Strecker/Mayborn Museum Complex and Professor and Chair of the Department of Museum Studies and director of the Waco Mammoth Site, Baylor University, Waco, Texas. Established the Department of Museum Studies and the BA/BS and Master's Degree programs. Raised funds to do a long range master plan for the museum complex including $4 M in cash contributions for special projects and endowments and over $1 M in in kind donations. Initiated the Capital Campaign and completed the final design for the Mayborn Museum Complex in 1997 which resulted in a $23 M, 143,000 square foot structure. Directed the relocation and restoration of the Gov. Bill and Vara Daniel Historic Village, over 20 structures and 6,000 artifacts 250 miles from northern Liberty County to the Baylor Campus. Directed the excavations from 1983 - 2002 at the Waco Mammoth Site resulting in the largest concentration of extinct proboscideans dying from the same event known to science which became a National Monument in 2015.
"Smith's Wheel" is a result of 40 plus years of teaching Museum Studies. I was trying to find a representation of how important the Board is to the operations of the museum in relationship to the responsibilities of the staff. I thought a wagon wheel was appropriate since the rim must hold everything tightly together but if one of the spokes is weakened all of the functions are endangered.
From the lead chapter, Inside the Minds: The Business of Museums, "The Art of Managing A Museum - Connecting the Past, Present and Future" pp. 7 - 34, Aspatore, Inc., 2004.
1930's EMSCO derrick and pumping jack moved during Calvin's tenure as Director of the Western Heritage Museum Complex on the New Mexico Junior College campus by Wilbanks Trucking Company and dedicated in honor of Larry Milberger, 2011, photo by Calvin