While this academic year has looked different with our students learning in an online environment and zooming in from different places, the Museology Graduate program and its students have worked to build community between students, faculty and staff.
One of the ways that community is being built in the program is through our student groups. The Museology program currently has three active student groups: 2+1, Museologists for Climate Justice (MCJ), and Museologists for Dismantling Racism (MDR). Each of these groups were thought of, created, and are run by students in the program with the intention of building community around specific topics and ideas. So far this year, our student groups have hosted a variety of virtual events, ranging from collage-making nights, craft nights, holiday postcard exchanges, trivia nights, game nights, learning and discussion sessions, and seminars.
To build on this, during the Fall Quarter the Communications Team was thinking of ways to help build community and commonalities between students in this online format. One thing second year students had experienced in their in-person classes with Jessica Luke, the previous year, was the invitation to do something with your hands during class. In each of her classes, Jessica provided things like PlusPlus, Play Dough, and coloring supplies for her students to use during her lectures. The Communications Team was inspired by this concept and decided to send Community Learning Kits to students.
The Community Learning Kits were created for our students as a way to relieve stress and bring some joy to Winter Quarter while we’re working from home. Each kit was filled with postcards, coloring pages and pencils, PlusPlus, Play Dough, and origami sheets. Students then had the option to choose an add on of either an embroidery kit, terrarium kit, or conservation kit. Once students received their kits, the Communications Team hosted several virtual craft nights for first and second year students to come together and craft. Our students shared their crafts and creations with the Communications Team on Instagram, and are saved under the ‘Learning Kits’ Story Highlight.