What's changed at the Academy since you started as president in 1988? It's always had the same mission, to take carefully selected American artists and scholars and give them an opportunity to do independent work in Rome. That's been the beauty of the Academy from 1894 onward: gifted people who need some time to think and work. That part was completely intact. The trouble is, we had money problems, and a lot of deferred maintenance. We were a 19th-century organization trying to live in the 20th century. There was a lot that needed attention. My interest in life is historic preservation, so it was a very good match.
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