Justice, Community, and Leadership Blog Reflection on Power & Purpose Exhibition (JCL 150)
by Elise Magee
How Does SMCMoA Involve Students?
Saint Mary’s College Museum of Art provides students and the surrounding communities with many different ways to interact with art. One way the museum gets students involved is through community engagement with students studying Justice, Community, and Leadership. Through community engagement (CE), a group of students assists an organization for a semester. CE provides an opportunity for students to practice leadership skills and teamwork and planning skills. This Spring, the museum worked with a JCL CE group.
Project Goal
This CE project’s goal was to bring and promote more museum engagement to the offered exhibitions. After a few meetings with the CE site organizer, Britt, our group decided that our goal was to bring more people to the museum. We wanted to show that the museum was a free, fun, safe, and welcoming place that encouraged learning.
Process to Prepare
To prepare for our final project, we attended weekly meetings with group members and the CE organizer to brainstorm action items. After a few group meetings, we created worksheets for museum-goers targeting learning through engagement and created a tour for college classes to attend the museum. After agreeing on an idea, we worked with our site coordinator to plan which artworks to focus on in the Power & Purpose: Reflections from the African Art Collection Exhibition. Once that item was complete, we created worksheets and QR codes aimed toward all age ranges. With the guidance of the site coordinator, we learned how to apply engagement tactics, such as Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS), into the format of our class tours.
Presentations & Tours
After finalizing all the worksheets, completing the QR codes, and rehearsing VTS, the group was prepared to facilitate the tours. Applying methods learned, we guided two classes through the museum. We split the two classes into three groups with two tour leads. We decided to switch tour groups between the tour guides. We guided the groups through VTS, prompting them to interact with object observation and the worksheet. Each class shared a new statement on the museum, speaking to its scale or if it was their first time visiting.
Advice for Future Groups
Building trust goes a long way. When collaborating group members trust each other, it will make the experience fun and less stressful. To go along with that, find a strong communication pathway that works for everyone. Do not be afraid to ask each other for help. You are a team, and your members are there to support each other. Also, do not be afraid to ask your coordinator for assistance; they have a vast amount of knowledge to share.
Conclusion
After this year, our group hopes that other CE partners can continue building engagement experiences by bringing classes and people to the museum. Our goal is for the museum continues challenging dominant narratives and providing a space for greater diversity and learning.
