Kevin Salemme Passes Away, Merrimack College Media Instructional Services director

An Ex-Merrimack College Employee Has Died

“The Merrimack community lost a valuable leader today. Kevin Salemme. Kevin left a valuable impact on students over generations. As Director of the Media Center and an instructor in the School of Liberal Arts, Kevin was part of the Merrimack community as a student and employee for nearly 40 years.It was his genuine care for our students that made the Media Center such a welcoming place. Kevin captured the heart of Merrimack through his lens, showing off the campus, school, and community that he loved. Merrimack undoubtedly is a better place because of Kevin and the impact he left on the community.” The school wrote.

“I know that many of you reading this also knew Kevin Salemme, who died earlier today. For those of you who did not, I can only say I am sorry you never had the blessing of knowing this exceptional colleague, artist, teacher, and friend.”

“I worked with Kevin in the library at Merrimack College for nearly 12 years, and I needn’t tell anyone who knew him what a kind, generous, creative, humble, smart, hilarious, and all around exceptional colleague he was.
But I actually met Kevin years before we became coworkers. At age 21, barely out of college and as timid and shy as one could be, I signed up for a photography class at nearby Merrimack College. Kevin was the professor. He walked into class that first night in his Joy Division t-shirt, Doc Martens, and black leather jacket. He made some goofy self-deprecating joke, and I knew I’d found the right class.”

I learned a lot about composition and lighting and the meditative bliss of the darkroom that semester. But Kevin’s true talent was helping his students learn to trust their own vision. I remember nervously propping one of my prints up against the chalkboard one night so the class could workshop it.

“Kevin studied it carefully for some time, and then turned to the whole class and said, “I know I would pay a lot of money to hang that beautiful image on my wall. Wouldn’t you?” It was the very first time in my life I dared to think of myself as creative, and that seed of confidence he gave me has sustained me so many times ever since. It was such a joy to see him bestow that same gift to countless other students through his decades of teaching.”

“This one hurts a lot. He was too young. He still had too many gifts to share with this world. Too many more young students who would learn to trust their unconventional perspective through his mentorship. All the exquisite photos he hadn’t yet taken. All the love he still had to give through his art, his teaching, and his friendship.”

“RIP Kevin. You blessed the lives of all who knew you, and I will be forever grateful our paths crossed.”

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