Closing Statement

Looking back on the past two years in the Master of Arts in Museum Studies (MAMS) program, this has been an amazing journey during which my skills and experience in the museum field have professionally developed and grown. When I first began my academic studies, I had a general understanding of the function and operation of museums from my undergraduate studies and viewed them as places that displayed and preserved historical and culturally significant objects. Throughout my time in this program, my perspective of the museum has evolved. I have deepened my understanding of ethical museum stewardship, collection management, and exhibit development, and further developed technical and research skills that will aid me as an aspiring professional in the museum field. When I first began this program, I knew I wanted to become a curator. While this has not changed, I have now gained both theoretical and practical knowledge through my coursework and internship, broadening my understanding of interpretation, community engagement, and education, all of which will assist me in a future curatorial position.

The selected course artifacts presented in this e-Portfolio demonstrate my knowledge and ability to apply theory to practice as a museum professional. This is showcased in the course MST 5700 Exhibit Development, where I created an online exhibit on Omeka, which helped me understand how to frame exhibits and provide easy, accessible navigation for visitors. The course also gave me a better understanding of developing exhibition themes, organizing content, and creating strong exhibits that are engaging, focus on the wants and needs of the audience, and align with institutional goals and mission, further developing my skills as a community-engaged curator. Other courses, such as MST 5173 Museums, Cultures, and Communities, showcased my skills and strengths in developing the concept, theme, and content of a proposed museum, as well as foundation statements, exhibitions, and institutional programming and activities. Each of these skills will aid me as a curator, ensuring that institutions incorporate audience-centered design and create spaces that foster community engagement, reflection, and learning.  

My internship (MST 5920 Independent Project) at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art gave me practical, hands-on experience and prepared me for a future career in museums through collaboration with colleagues, co-facilitating programs (which also greatly improved my public speaking skills), and developing my own after-school care resource. The internship built on my strengths in adaptability and taught me to simplify art concepts that children could understand, a transferable skill that will greatly aid me as a curator in developing labels accessible to all. I am thankful to my site supervisor, Adam Werner, and the staff at the Amon Carter. My internship experience taught me the importance of interdisciplinary skills in the museum and the value of education to aid in museum interpretation and community engagement.  

Looking ahead, I plan to continue developing my knowledge and skills both professionally and academically, taking the skills and expertise I gained in this program with me into my future profession as a museum curator. As I move forward, graduating from this program has given me the confidence, knowledge, and skills to curate meaningful visitor experiences and thoughtful exhibitions that provide inclusive and diverse spaces for marginalized communities. I would like to thank my professors for their guidance. I am forever grateful for your insight and dedicated support. It was a long two years full of ups and downs, long nights, and numerous cups of coffee. I am extremely proud of the work I have achieved. Thank you for taking the time to review my e-Portfolio!