The Master of Arts in Museology requires that students complete a thesis. They may choose either a research or project thesis. We’re talking with some of our second-year students who are deep in thesis work right now to get their perspectives on what they are learning. Museology Communications and Marketing Assistant Xavier Lucas-Cooper (’27) spoke with EJ Klein (’26) about her thesis work with the Shoreline Historical Museum.
What attracted you to your project and how do you think it capitalizes on what your coursework has taught you?
I’m interested in how museums operate, specifically how volunteer-led museums (VLM) engage and utilize volunteer labor. My project is a workbook for VLMs to develop departmental workflows, recruit volunteers, more easily assign work to them, and record the work they perform. The coursework has given me a breadth of knowledge about the labor involved in each department, as well as an understanding of how little museums generate community engagement.
In what ways has your project felt different from an internship?
It’s a hell of a lot more work! That is a good thing because I’m able to both own the process and the outcome. It’s scarier because the guardrails are mostly off, but at the end of it, I’ll have manifested my ideas in the real world, and maybe someone out there will have a better day because of them.
What has kept you motivated when things got tough? What fear did you outgrow?
The knowledge that my idea is a good one kept me motivated, but it was also something I had to transcend in a way. My original idea was full of my sparkling personality and fun stuff I liked, much of which I had a hard time letting go of when it came to creating something for a wide variety of people. I didn’t want to create something boring, but I had to negotiate how much of my special blend of herbs and spices was necessary vs distracting. Ultimately, negotiations were successful, and I made something flavorful that will (hopefully) also be nourishing to the folks that pick it up.
At what moment did it start to feel like your project? How supportive have your project sponsors been of your ideas?
Frankly, I took on a pretty big project, and it overwhelmed me at more than one point. The two weeks off for winter break helped me clear my head and get a grip on some feedback I’d been given. When I came back to it, I was able to remove the unnecessary parts and enhance some pieces I’d been neglecting. The process of dismantling and reconfiguring to a more stable point solidified the project and moved it from a great idea to a real product. My sponsors have been enthusiastic about the project from the start and have given me the freedom to make it my own while offering valuable, industry-relevant feedback.
What did your project teach you about the kind of professional you want to be?
I think this project proved to me where I excel and has given me confidence in my ability to lead projects. I never thought of myself as a leader or believed that my grand ideas were good enough to become reality. The support of my thesis chair, in particular, has been pivotal in developing my professional confidence by allowing me the space to be human and freak out a little, then helping me rebalance my priorities and just keep going. The project has shown me that I’d like to keep listening to the folks doing the work and creating supportive materials that help little museums excel and deepen community engagement.