Summer 2017

I began the application process for a National Endowment for the Humanities grant for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.  There have been ongoing discussions about creating some kind of Museum Studies curriculum at ASU for several years.  I love museums, enjoyed my graduate coursework in Museum Studies at FSU, and have done a good amount of work with the Albany Museum of Art and The Albany Area Arts Council.  The current trend to diversify museum fields, though, created the impetus for writing a grant to support the development of a Museum and Heritage Studies Minor at Albany State University.

Primary Goal

Graduate students with skill sets and experience that are marketable for graduate programs, museum fields, and other career opportunities.

Objectives

1) Get all of the local museums and cultural organizations involved.  The support of these organizations was key to getting the grant.  The Executive Directors of the Albany Area Arts Council,  Albany Civil Rights Institute, Albany Museum of Art, Flint Riverquarium, and Thronateeska Heritage Center all wrote letters of support.  The grant would not have been possible without them.  The organizations, too, are an integral part of the grant.  They will provide learning opportunities through internships and volunteer opportunities for our students.  ASU will provide the organizations a boost to their work force.

2) Make it multi-disciplinary.  It is important that the minor attract more than just Visual and Performing Arts majors.  Although, many of our Visual Arts students were quite excited about the opportunity, a Museum and Heritage Studies Minor is an excellent focus for many majors.  Students who graduate with degrees in business, computer science, mass communications, history, education, and other areas, as well, are excellent candidates for graduate programs and museum jobs.  The experience will also contribute to student portfolios making them marketable in any field.  The inclusion of professors from other areas, along with their students will provide the local organizations with consultants, volunteers, and interns who have useful skills in addition to curatorial knowledge to help with technology, education, and marketing.

3) Create a minor that is 15 hours.  Faculty in each of the aforementioned disciplines will develop an optional course with the required courses - Museum Studies, Art History, and Internship - offered by the Visual and Performing Arts (VPA).

Strategy

Lead Faculty members from other disciplines need some training and exposure to museum fields and subject matter and an assessment of the needs of these organizations.  Staff from the organizations and Lead Faculty need some training in experiential learning methods.  The grant pays to get us all together, bring in consultants, and provide Lead Faculty members a chance to travel.  There will be a total of eight Museum and Heritage studies summits over the next two years rotating between the cultural organizations.