Reclaiming History, Reconstructing Lives: Chinese Laborers and the Building of the Transcontinental Railroad

June 26, 2017 by usfmuseumstudiesblog

by Shabnam Shermatova (MA, 2016) On April 11, 2017, University of San Francisco hosted a panel discussion on the Chinese American Historical Society exhibition Reclaiming History, Reconstructing Lives: Chinese Laborers and the building of the transcontinental railroad.  It was on display from March 20 to April 28, 2017, at the Gleeson Library/Geschke Center. The goal of both the exhibition and the discussion was to give voice to the Chinese laborers who built the American railroad system; call attention to this […]

Categories: Alumni, Collaborations, Exhibits, Forums, Museum Studies, Social Justice • Tags: Alumni, California history, collaboration, Gleeson Library, social justice

Alumni Connect: Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive

June 19, 2017 by usfmuseumstudiesblog

by Victor Crosetti (MA, 2015) Editor’s note:  For this installment of Alumni Connect we interviewed Victor Crosetti (MA, 2015).  Victor serves as Membership Coordinator for BAMPFA, the UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive.   –MS USF Museum Studies Blog:  Tell us something about BAMPFA. Victor:  The UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA) is the visual arts center of the University of California, Berkeley. BAMPFA offers one of the most distinguished and provocative programs of art […]

Categories: Alumni, Exhibits, Interviews • Tags: Alumni, art, California history, marketing, professional development

Alumni Connect: Kathleen Schlier and the Accessibility Learning Collaborative

May 29, 2017 by usfmuseumstudiesblog

by Ivy Young, California Association of Museums Editor’s Note:  The Accessibility Learning Collaborative is part of the California Networks for Collaboration, funded by the Institute of Museums and Library Services and coordinated by the California Association of Museums.  Its goal is to share best practices for accessibility and professional practice with museums across the state.  In this post, we share an interview with Kathleen Schlier (MA, 2016) about disability justice, conducted by CAM’s Ivy Young.  –MS ********** Kathleen Schlier is […]

Categories: Alumni, Community, Forums, Interviews, Social Justice • Tags: access, Alumni, social justice

Curating Community with Robert Flynn Johnson and Shipyard Trust for the Arts

May 22, 2017 by Paula Birnbaum

by Else Trygstad-Burke (MA 2016) One of San Francisco’s most wonderful attributes is the city’s closely interconnected art communities. In October 2016, students from University of San Francisco’s graduate Museum Studies and undergraduate Art History/Arts Management Programs were invited to collaborate with one of the city’s longstanding art organizations, Shipyard Trust for the Arts (STAR). Four students were granted the exciting opportunity to assist Robert Flynn Johnson, Curator Emeritus of the Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts, California Palace of the […]

Categories: Alumni, Collaborations, Community, Exhibits, Museum Studies, Site Visits, Social Justice, Uncategorized • Tags: Alumni, art, collaboration, community, design, education, faculty, interactive, professional development, social justice, students, workshop

Intern-connectivity: St. Louis

May 1, 2017 by Marjorie Schwarzer

by Sara Hodge (MA, 16) Editor’s Note:  Next week, over 4,000 museum professionals from around the world gather in St. Louis, Missouri for the annual American Alliance of Museums conference.  Faculty members Fraidy Aber and Marjorie Schwarzer will be presenting at the conference and Leslie Lombre (MA, 2017) has been awarded an AAM Diversity Fellowship to attend. In honor of the gathering in St. Louis, we are pleased to share reminiscences from alumna Sara Hodge (MA, 2016) of her 2016 […]

Categories: Alumni, internships, Museum Studies • Tags: archaeology, collections, curating, internships, USF Museum Studies

Alumni Connect: Addressing homelessness in San Francisco

April 10, 2017 by Marjorie Schwarzer

by Lauren Kingsley (MA, 2016) Editor’s Note: We are pleased to present an excerpt from alumna Lauren Kingsley’s master’s capstone paper on how museums in San Francisco can address the issue of homelessness in our community. To read her paper in full, click here. Lauren currently works full-time in the Director’s Office at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. ******* A museum is a public institution—its driving force is to serve the community by presenting thought-provoking and impactful exhibitions that […]

Categories: Alumni, Forums, Museum Studies, Social Justice • Tags: Alumni, art, research, social justice

In and out of the Inland Empire

March 20, 2017 by Marjorie Schwarzer

Editor’s note:  University of San Francisco is a proud sponsor of the 2017 California Museums Association annual conference which will convene in Sacramento next week.  This post describes last year’s conference in Riverside. *** The small city of Riverside is nestled in what is called California’s Inland Empire and has many claims to fame. Set in the high desert climate of Southern California, its fragrant orange orchards produce some of the world’s most delicious citrus fruit. Riverside is also home […]

Categories: Alumni, Social Justice • Tags: Alumni, California history, collections, professional development, USF Museum Studies

Alumni Connect: Neville Public Museum

March 13, 2017 by Marjorie Schwarzer

by James Peth (MA, 2014) Here at the Neville Public Museum we have one permanent and three temporary galleries. Our staff is currently working on Estamos Aqui: Celebrating Latino Identity in Northeastern Wisconsin. This exhibit will be up for one year and seeks to connect the residents of Brown County and Northeastern Wisconsin with the emerging and diverse Latino communities that have settled here. The exhibit is being developed collaboratively with a committee of dedicated members of the community and […]

Categories: Alumni, Community, Museum Studies, Social Justice • Tags: Alumni, community

Alumni Connect: Rise Against Hunger

February 27, 2017 by Marjorie Schwarzer

Natalie Norton, Rise Against Hunger, July 2016.   While working the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, Natalie (Hollett) Norton (MA, 2014) became intrigued with how museums bring diverse people together.  During her first year of study in the MA in Museum Studies program at University of San Francisco, this vision crystalized into studying the role museums can play in advancing social justice issues.  Natalie moved back to Southern California to be closer to her fiancé (now husband) and accepted […]

Categories: Alumni, Social Justice • Tags: Alumni, social justice