Working Historians

Museum Careers for Historians: Jazlyn Sanderson - Director, Museum of Native American History

Jazlyn Sanderson is the Director of the Museum of Native American History in Bentonville, Arkansas. In this episode, Jazlyn talks to Southern New Hampshire University’s David Buresh about the benefits of having a history degree and how to get into the museum field. David and Jazlyn go into different types of internships within the Museum of Native American History, as well as how to make yourself stand out in the industry overall.

This episode was originally broadcast on Southern New Hampshire University’s Passion and Practicality podcast feed.

Museum Careers for Historians: Karen Kincaid Brady - Programming Director, Neill-Cochran House Museum

Karen Kincaid Brady is the Programming Director for the Neill-Cochran House Museum in Austin, Texas. In this episode, Karen talks to Southern New Hampshire University’s Callie Cook about the value of building your network, career opportunities in history, and creative ways to connect and build experiences with colleagues.

This episode was originally broadcast on Southern New Hampshire University’s Passion and Practicality podcast feed.

Museum Careers for Historians: Karl McKinnon - Assistant Director of Operations and Chief Financial Officer, Schiele Museum of Natural History and Planetarium

Karl McKinnon is the Assistant Director of Operations and Chief Financial Officer at the Schiele Museum of Natural History and Planetarium in Gastonia, North Carolina. Today Karl speaks with Southern New Hampshire University’s Peter Bartel about how to make yourself stand out when applying for careers in the museum world, the importance of exuding passion in your work, and the value of having experience outside of the classroom.

This episode was originally broadcast on Southern New Hampshire University’s Passion and Practicality podcast feed.

Museum Careers for Historians: Buster Ratliff - Director of Operations, Cultural Foundation of the Texas Panhandle and Panhandle-Plains Museum

Buster Ratliff is the Director of Operations for the Cultural Foundation of the Texas Panhandle & Panhandle-Plains Museum on the campus of West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas. In this episode, Buster talks with Southern New Hampshire University’s Callie Cook about the value of building your network and understanding company values.

This episode was originally broadcast on Southern New Hampshire University’s Passion and Practicality podcast feed.

Museum Careers for Historians: Bonnie Barnes - Executive Director, Keys History and Discover Center

Bonnie Barnes is the Executive Director for Keys History and Discovery Center in Florida. In this episode, Bonnie talks to Southern New Hampshire University’s Callie Cook about informational interviewing, company research, and the different career paths one can explore with a history degree.

This episode was originally broadcast on Southern New Hampshire University’s Passion and Practicality podcast feed.

Library Careers for Historians: Nina Thomas - Manager, Westerville History Museum

Nina Thomas is the manager of the Westerville History Museum, which is part of the public library system in Westerville, Ohio. In this episode, Nina discusses her academic and professional background, life as a museum manager, the nature of the museum’s public outreach efforts, and what a museum manager might look for in job applicants.

 

Recommendations:

Westerville History Museum

Clint Smith, How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America (Little, Brown, 2021) - recommended by Nina

Philomena Cunk - recommended by Nina

Jennifer Schuessler, “As Historians Gather, No Truce in the History Wars,” New York Times, January 8, 2023 - recommended by Rob

Ann Davis - Museum Specialist, Professor, and ICOFOM Board Member

Dr. Ann Davis is the past president and current board member of ICOFOM, former director of the Nickle Arts Museum at the University of Calgary, and professor of museum studies at a variety of institutions across Canada. Today we discuss Ann’s academic and professional background, her experiences as director of art museums, and her expectations for how museums will change in the twenty-first century. This episode’s recommendations: Ann Davis and Kerstin Smeds, eds., Visiting the Visitor: An Enquiry into the Visitor Business in Museums (Columbia University Press, 2016): https://cup.columbia.edu/book/visiting-the-visitor/9783837632897 Nickle Arts Museum: https://nickle.ucalgary.ca/ Winnipeg Art Gallery: https://www.wag.ca/ Toledo Museum of Art: http://www.toledomuseum.org/ Rob Denning and James Fennessy can be reached at workinghistorians@gmail.com. Follow us on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/FilibusterHist.