Peggy Brisbane
Unit: PublicationsTitle: Associate director of publications for photography
Direct phone: (989) 774-3197
E-mail: brisb1m@cmich.edu
If you want the inside scoop on CMU, talk to Peggy. As a photographer, she has a great "behind-the-scenes" perspective on the history of the university,
and she's an excellent observer of people. For example, she is always watching peoples' hands as she takes photos - because hands are always honest.
"I get to see the best of the university," she says. "I meet so many people that remind me of all the good work the university is doing.
Also I often serve as the photo editor for publications, so that part of my job is like putting a puzzle together - determining which photos
will work best to convey the information and the spirit of the place. There is a sense of satisfaction when the words, design and photos
work together especially well."
Aside from being an award-winning photographer, Peggy has a garden near downtown Mount Pleasant that is the envy of all her neighbors.
You will often catch people driving slowly while not watching the road, or making several trips around the block just to gaze at the elegant
and ever-changing color palettes in her garden beds. Peggy and her husband Robert Barclay (the other half of the hard-working university
photography staff) have a son, Sam, an architect working in India with his wife, Erica, a CMU alumna and teacher.
Quote: "Photography is one percent inspiration and 99 percent moving furniture."