"I began JFKU's museum studies program in 1995 in hopes of gaining training and experience that would enable me to find a position in Hawaii's very competitive museum market. Thanks to my internships and the reputation of the program, I have succeeded in a variety of collection settings. One of the strongest assets I had going into my interview for my current position was the work I had done on my master's project, which I still use today. More importantly, though, JFKU fostered a sense of community, responsibility and friendship that continues to extend well beyond the classroom."

"In 1999, I graduated from JFKU's museum studies program a much better writer, presenter and team player. While those skills may sound basic, they have led to a fulfilling career in exhibit design and development. I knew that JFKU's program, in which I specialized in public programming, would push me and open new doors. Among them were an internship at the Exploratorium, an American Association of Museums conference panel, an Association of Children's Museums roundtable discussion, an article for ACM's journal Hand to Hand, and my current position as Project Director for a San Francisco-based exhibit design firm, The Sibbett Group."

"I selected the Museum Studies Department at JFKU because of the program's national reputation and its responsiveness to current issues facing the museum field. I completed the program as a part-time student, which allowed me to work fulltime at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas. Besides being challenging and thought-provoking, the curriculum is an excellent balance of academic coursework and practical experience-from museology to hands-on internships. This balance gave me a strong foundation as a museum professional. The JFKU program also encouraged me to participate in nationwide and statewide professional development activities, which ultimately gave me the opportunity to represent museums across California."

I did not grow up going to museums. I became interested in museums when my attention to the artistic expressions of Chicanas lead me to think about the lack of access that many communities have had to cultural institutions. At JFKU I learned more about the structure of museums and the function of the different departments within them. My commitment to public service, particular to those historically underserved by museums, was validated and nurtured at JFKU. The courses I took in the Museum Studies program were absolutely engaging and relevant and helped me further develop my skills in writing and working collaboratively. The network of alumna, carefully planned internships, and connections to specialists through the program and professional organizations ultimately benefited me the most. As I continue to develop my abilities in growing permanent art collections, developing exhibitions, and assisting with interpretive programs, I frequently reference my Museum Studies course texts and notebooks.

"JFKU's museum studies program introduced me to many wonderful museum professionals, many of whom I have the pleasure of working with today. As Executive Director of the California Exhibition Resources Alliance, I was privileged to collaborate with a team of professionals, a number of who were JFKU colleagues, to transform this museum support program into a vital new nonprofit organization. Emphasis on excellence, teamwork, and community outreach throughout the coursework is what makes the JFKU's museum studies program so outstanding. The combination of academic and practical training at JFKU prepared me to work in a wide range of institutions, including the California Council for the Humanities, Lawrence Hall of Science, and the Oakland Museum of California. JFKU provided me with a strong foundation in theory and ethics, as well as practical skills, which I use on a daily basis in my career."

"I've been working at the Exploratorium for almost seven years now in evaluation and visitor research-a dream job I landed right out of JFKU. I work on exhibit development initiatives, public programming projects, and audience development. I decided to apply to JFKU because its museum studies program was one of the top in the country and I had heard lots of great things about it from established professionals. What I most respected and enjoyed about the program were the supportive instructors, real-life assignments, team projects, internships, and the wonderful folks in the field I got to meet and eventually work with. JFKU's relevant curriculum prepared me for the museum field and gave me the tools to be innovative and strategic in the future."

I love my job as the Exhibits Registrar at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. I am most grateful to JFKU for the challenging, stimulating training and enthusiastic support that enabled me to get this dream job!

I selected the M.A. in Museum Studies program for its reputation, mission, and team-oriented approach. Its emphasis on diversity and social responsibility align with my personal goals. With a background in archaeology and collections management, I was looking for a program that attracted students with diverse academic backgrounds and interests. In fact, through my collaborations with natural historians, historians, artists, educators, and exhibit developers in the program, I discovered and cultivated new passions--particularly for exhibition development.

I also chose JKFU because students are encouraged to perform cutting edge work in their specializations. I consider the work I completed on my thesis to be a major accomplishment in my career. My internship experiences furthered my career by creating the bridge to my current job.

"Since graduating with a master's in museum studies from JFKU, I've been working as an Associate Creative Manager at Antenna Audio, where I also did my internship. I wrote my master's project on designing audio tours for visitors who are blind and visually impaired, and this is now an important part of my job. I consult on all of our tours for this audience and I write some of them as well. I was originally drawn to this audience after working with a group of kids with visual impairments for a project in the "Museums and Communities" seminar. It is extremely rewarding to help make museums more accessible to all people!"

I decided to apply to JFKU's Museum Studies program in 2006 because I wanted to expand my knowledge of education and interpretation through the study of museums and other cultural arts organizations. As a former Peace Corps Volunteer and AmeriCorps VISTA, I also believed in the University's values, based upon principles set forward by President John F. Kennedy, that "Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other." Under the leadership of Marjorie Schwarzer, I found such a program. The JFKU Museum Studies program provided me with a rigorous curriculum, ample research and writing projects, forward-thinking instructors, fascinating subject matter and personalized learning opportunities that I did not find elsewhere. Small classes, continuous exposure to progressive movements in the museum field and museum professionals, as well as the close relationships made between instructors and fellow students, made for a fantastic two years. My internships included work at the Judah L. Magnus Museum in Berkeley and the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC. After graduation in 2008 I was hired as the Associate Education Director at the San Mateo County History Museum, my thesis was published online and I was recently awarded a 2009 California Association of Museums (CAM) Fellowship for emerging museum professionals where I will be one of five fellows covering the 2009 CAM conference in San Francisco in a series of post- conference articles.

"I chose JFKU's museum studies program because the teachers were also working in the field and not just academics and because the placement rate for graduates is high. Due to the large concentration of museums in the Bay Area, I had the opportunity to intern and work at a variety of institutions. At JFKU, I learned of the importance and need for museums to be involved with the community they serve. Since joining the San Diego Historical Society upon graduating, I have processed and organized individual photograph collections from the Booth Historical Photograph Archive's 2.5 million photographs. I have also served as project manager of a $170,000 cataloging grant project awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission as well as of a $50,000 Library Services and Technology Act grant to digitize, catalog and make accessible to the public 3,500 images."

Cnrolling as a graduate student in the Museum Studies Program at JFKU was the best move of my career. The nature of the program, with its core teaching staff of experienced museum professionals, challenging coursework, and structured internship opportunities allowed me to grow both professionally and personally in ways I did not even imagine. During my time as a graduate student I received the L. Thomas Frye Fellowship Award from the Oakland Museum of California, was hired as a museum teacher for their "Indian Life" program, and conducted docent training with Indian Life Docents. The Museum Studies Program has also rewarded me with: personal confidence in all of my abilities and endeavors; a broader perspective that counterbalanced my ethnocentricity; additional skills and training in how to reach an audience; developing museum programming for under-served audiences; and invaluable lessons in the type of cooperation and collaboration required to succeed as a respected professional in today's world of museums and museum practices. I am proud to call myself a graduate of the JFKU Museum Studies Program.

"I was attracted to the museum studies program at JFKU because of its emphasis on practical training. Through my internships I learned hands-on about program and exhibition evaluation, which ultimately led to my current position with the Institute for Learning Innovation. Since joining the Institute in 2003, I have applied the skills and knowledge gained at JFKU to evaluation projects at the Buffalo Museum of Science, the Franklin Institute Science Museum, and the Austin Children's Museum. The JFKU faculty and curriculum challenged-and encouraged-me to think seriously but imaginatively and to be considerate and proactive in serving the public through museum work."

Three days after graduating from JFKU, where I wrote my master's project on tribal museums and cultural centers, I joined the staff of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, the largest "tribal museum" in the United States. I work in public programs planning music, dance, and literature programs for our local, national, and international visitors. The multidisciplinary nature of JFKU's museum studies program and its focus on the latest museum practices enabled me to work in a variety of departments within NMAI, beginning in collections management, then curatorial, education and now public programs.

"Upon graduating from JFKU's museum studies program, which helped me to build on my prior professional experience in cultural center administration, I accepted a marketing position with the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. The primary focus of my job is the upcoming opening of the new de Young Museum, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects Herzog and de Meuron. I know my effectiveness in this position is directly related to the confidence and knowledge I derived from my academic training, as well as from the personal and professional relationships I developed while a student in JFKU's program."

Since graduating from JFKU, I worked at Independent Exhibitions, Exploratorium, and the Aquarium of the Pacific. In 1994, I started my own exhibition development and design firm: Redmond-Jones & Associates. I have served as a Board Member for the National Association for Museum Exhibition (NAME) and Western Museums Association (WMA). JFKU was a wonderful program for me because it was very hands-on and practical, and it introduced me to museum professionals who were out there "walking the talk." What I really enjoy now is being able to give back to the program. I have had JFK interns work with me in my business as well as at the Aquarium of the Pacific. It's great to see the program continue to mature, address current issues in the field, and provide the students with opportunities to expand their knowledge and grow as a museum professional.

"JFKU's museum studies program especially attracted me because of its emphasis on practical experience gained through internships. My internships enabled me to make connections with other museum professionals and hone my skills gained from classroom studies, and they eventually opened the door to employment opportunities. My first internship, at the Charles M. Schulz Museum, led to a position as Collections Manager at the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco. I was hired before I had even completed my degree. Similarly, the skills I learned in the context of my internship at the Wells Fargo Archives paved the way to my current position as Image Archivist at the Computer History Museum, where I oversee the photography, film, and oral history collections."

"JFKU's museum studies program gave me the chance to grow professionally while providing me with an academic foundation. I discovered aspects of myself-that I enjoy writing and am terrified of presenting-which I was able to further develop or overcome, respectively. Class projects offered great opportunities to grapple with real-world circumstances like team dynamics and deadlines. But of course nothing compares to the tremendous sense of accomplishment that I still feel from completing my master's project. Since my involvement in the museum field has broadened to include more than just my own concerns about my job as an exhibit developer. I recently visited Iran where I, along with colleagues from the Exploratorium, consulted with the Zirakzadeh Science Foundation, which is developing new science centers all over their country."

"After a fantastic work-study experience at the Nelson Gallery at UC Davis, I decided that I would continue working in the museum field by getting my MA. I'm so glad I followed the advice of many of my new museum colleagues and went to JFKU's program. I gained many skills, including a greater understanding about how museums can both teach and learn from their public to enhance learning about our shared cultural heritage. When I finished my Master's Project, I was able to share it with the world, which has helped me gain many new contacts and friends in other museums. I would not have been able to connect with so many wonderful people in the field without my Master's Project and the guidance JFKU provided. Because of this, I have been able to advance my professional development by serving on the board of the American Association of Museum's Media & Technology SPC and being invited to write reference materials about my area of expertise. Being able to give back to the field is something I am exceptionally grateful to JFKU for helping me gain the skills to do.

I chose JFKU's museum studies program for its emphasis on diversity, inclusion, and civic engagement. My JFKU training in education and public programming, nonprofit administration and management, board development, and community partnerships has been invaluable to my museum career. Formerly, I held the position of Managing Director at Habitot Children's Museum where I was responsible for leading all staff and operations related to education programs, museum facilities, visitor services, and community partnerships. Most importantly, my education at JFKU taught me that relevant and responsive museum learning experiences, for audiences of all ages, have the power to transform community life and thereby further positive, progressive social change.

I was attracted to JFKU's Museum Studies program because of its leadership in connecting museums to communities and the program's deep engagement with world-class institutions. Since graduating from JFKU with the first MBA with an emphasis in Museum Studies, I have had several incredible museum jobs which included working with the Exploratorium's Teacher Institute, the original and strongest teacher professional development community in the country. With the breadth of practical knowledge I received from the museum studies program, I was the hired as the Special Exhibition Project Manager at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts in Salt Lake City to organize all aspects of bringing in its first major blockbuster exhibition, "Monet to Picasso from the Cleveland Museum of Art". Currently, I am able to bring together all the skills I've gained through school and job experiences in my position as Director of Programming at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah -- a 750 acre multi-museum complex that will includes a natural history museum, gardens, and a working farm. At Thanksgiving Point we are developing ways to connect the experiences between our museums and strengthen our community partnerships through exhibition development, public program, professional education, volunteer programs, and public events.

JFK was a great experience for me for many reasons. Marjorie, Susan, Melinda, and the rest of the faculty are amazingly knowledgeable and helpful; the classes are an excellent combination of academic rigor and practical experience; and the network of alumni is incomparable. The skills I learned writing my thesis and through internships for the UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, the San Francisco Fall Antique Show, and Gail Anderson & Associates have given me a solid foundation for a career in museums and as a contributing professional in the field.