16 / AMAM.OBERLIN.EDU PRACTICUM IN MUSEUM EDUCATION For more than 30 years, the Allen has offered aWinter Term course introducing students to career opportunities with a behind-the-scenes exploration of museums. Each January, 15 students have conversations with museum staff, learning about their career paths and what they do in their various roles at the museum. The class also visits regional art museums in Akron, Cleveland, and Toledo to meet other professionals who share advice— strategic tips and pitfalls to avoid—on how to achieve a successful career at an art museum. Students also research methodologies in gallery teaching fromVisual Thinking Strategies to close looking, and how to use activities to engage viewers with art. “The assignments are practical in nature,” says Jill Greenwood, the Eric & Jane Nord Family Curator of Education, who teaches the course. “In addition to practicing guided touringmethods, I work with students on their cover letters, résumés, and interview techniques to help prepare them for internships in the field that will lead to further practical experience.” After theWinter Term, students are invited to join the Gallery Guide program to further their training in facilitating guided tours with K–12 students and the general public. They also have the opportunity to work on special projects at the museum and contribute to accessibility initiatives. Current Gallery Guide Sadie Winkelstein (OC 2025) said, “The Practicum in MuseumEducation programwas one of, if not the, most influential components of jump startingmy college career in the professional arts world. It not only functioned as an in-depth, immersive experience in museum theory and practice, but also laid the foundation for working at Oberlin’s acclaimed “It’s a process of scaffolding opportunities so that our undergraduates leaveOberlin Collegewith the experience and skills needed to secure internship positions at themuseumof their choice.” —Jill Greenwood
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTczNTM=