Explain your experience working for the Stanley:
As the Campus Engagement Coordinator for this year, I planned six student events (one a month), along with creating my own self-guided tour and updating the Stanley Student Challenge (which our last coordinator created!).
My favorite events from the past year were The Art of Voting 2.0, our patchwork event, and our Student Exhibit, all of which I was able to incorporate my own interests (printmaking, sewing, and art!) and see other people get excited about them too. My self-guided tour allowed me to delve into printmaking techniques seen in the galleries and learn how to explain them to a wider audience. Finally, I updated the Stanley Student Challenge to be a semester-long challenge (as opposed to a year-long), created business card-sized punch cards, and worked with our gallery host, Josie Duccini, to make a new prize, a water bottle!
Along with being the Campus Engagement Coordinator, I am also one of the lead gallery hosts, so I have been able to see so many events, work with so many great people, and see so many of our regular visitors, which has been so incredible!
How did your involvement at the Stanley complement your studies/ career plan?
During my time at the University, I have progressively leaned further and further into my art history and museum studies programs, and working here has perfectly complemented these interests. Aside from conveniently counting towards my internship requirements for the Museum Studies Certificate, being the Campus Engagement Coordinator has put me directly into the L&E side of museum work, which I had no previous experience with! I have also been able to work with groups like the Undergrad Art History Society to plan events and learn more about how to create programming and materials for different museum audiences.
While I'm still unsure of what side of museum work I would like to end up on, working here has solidified that I would like to continue working in a museum!
What was your favorite moment or part of working at the Stanley?
I think one of my favorite moments was the very beginning of my first student event (the Art of Voting 2.0). I had spent the last month before this creating linoleum block prints and planning the event, and working with Hawk the Vote, but (as with all events like this) I had no idea how many people would be interested (I was scared it would be none!). As soon as the event started, so many students arrived who wanted to get a totebag printed and register to vote, and while I was a bit overwhelmed, I was so happy that people were interested in what I had spent so much time making!
Where are you headed next?
I will be heading to Cleveland to pursue my masters in Art History and Museum Studies at Case Western Reserve University, and interning at the Cleveland Museum of Art!
What will you miss most about the University of Iowa?
Aside from my friends and coworkers (and family, I'm from Iowa City!), I will miss the town and how tied it is to the University — there are so many great things by and for students around town that I will miss seeing!
