Category: Alumni

BY: SAMANTHA SHEPHERD After graduating high school and deciding to go to college, I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to do. I was in Muncie, Indiana at Ball State University with a schedule full of prerequisites and no plan. Luckily, I soon reconnected with my lifelong love of history, and committed to a General …

BY: LUKE SKULSKI Growing up, I did not originally plan on working in the museum field. I’ve always loved museums, but I had initially planned on studying media production. In high school, however, I made a seemingly inconsequential choice. In 2013, I began volunteering at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. Initially, I had just planned …

BY: MCKAYLA “MIC” BUCHWITZ For as long as I can remember, museums and storytelling have captured my imagination. Whether wandering through exhibits as a child or contemplating the ways objects carry narratives of connection and transformation, my passion for preserving and sharing stories has been a source of inspiration in my life.  Over the past …

BY: MARY GLISSON Growing up, I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up. In high school, I chose history as my college major because it was my favorite subject. Once I started to immerse myself in history and realized how museums could make it come alive, I knew museums were …

BY: GRACIE COLLIER My career path in life has been winding, to say the least. Unlike in European countries, where youths are expected to start selecting their path and specializations even before graduation, in the US, we seem to encourage more disparate experiences, seeing where life takes you. There has always been a core interest, …

Congratulations to the 2025 class of Museum Studies MAs! This is the first cohort of Museum Studies graduates of IU Indianapolis. These students have learned how to be well-rounded museum professionals, developing useful skills, ranging from strategic planning to object conservation to program facilitation to exhibit design and more. This cohort has exemplified the six …

BY MICHAEL CRANICK As a kid, I loved going to museums. I loved exploring science museums with fossils of colossal dinosaurs. I loved exploring cultural museums and learning about places different from my home. I loved exploring history museums with artifacts from the past. I loved all kinds of museums because museums transported me to …

BY MADISON ZAPATA Have you ever found yourself wandering through a museum, captivated by the stories each object holds? Yeah, me too. That’s why I’m excited to give you a sneak peek into my world – the world of museums.  As someone diving headfirst into the museum profession, I’m constantly seeking new ways to expand …

BY JACOB HIGGINS I stood in the entryway, covered in recording equipment that made me look like some kind of robot. The Spark!Lab exhibit had just opened at Conner Prairie, and it was my responsibility to convince visitors to the museum to allow me to record their visit so that we could prove that Spark!Lab …

BY MEREDITH MARSHALL Are you ready to embark on an exciting journey through the world of museum collections? Look no further than my e-portfolio! As an emerging museum collections professional, I have curated a portfolio of my work that showcases my passion for preserving and showcasing cultural artifacts.  My passion for heritage preservation and public …