I am of “the wind.” It “blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” So it is with me.
I have always had an interest in archaeology and museums and graduated in 2009 with a BA in Anthropology from Northwestern University. During that time, I was able to attend field school at an Etruscan site in central Italy, and despite having a spectacular time, it never really felt like that was my path. In 2014, I started volunteering at the Environmental Archaeology Lab at the Florida Museum, and not only did I really enjoy working with the collections, but I also found mentors that supported me and encouraged my growth as a student of the museum. I was later hired on as a collections assistant working primarily with the legacy collections. I’m excited to join the Museum Studies Graduate program in order to delve more into the accessibility, ethics, and management of legacy museum research collections.
Ryan graduated from the University of Florida in the spring of 2022 with her BA in Classical Studies with a minor in Art History. She grew up visiting museums all around the world and desired to combine her love of art, culture, and history into her profession. After graduation, she volunteered at the Orlando Museum of Art at their Visitor Information Services and Design Store and helped out at multiple museum events. These experiences fostered a newfound interest in curation and museum education. Her undergraduate honors thesis explored the controversy surrounding the Parthenon marbles and the challenges of repatriation. At UF, she hopes to study how museums reevaluate their collections’ histories and origins to further decolonize their institutions.
My name is Genesis Leonard, a native of Montgomery, AL. I am a recent graduate from Alabama State University, receiving my Bachelor’s of Fine Arts. I’m currently a graduate student at the University of Florida, majoring in museum studies. Not only is it my passion to become a director of my own gallery to provide space and opportunity to underprivileged artists, but I also enjoy creating my own art.
Solana Rostick is an aspiring curator with a goal of planting seeds in the hearts and minds of the BIPOC community, through the collection and exhibition of art, so that those seeds can become mirrors to children and adults who will more robustly see themselves reflected in major art institutions.
Solana graduated in May 2023 with a BA in Art History from Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. During her undergraduate career, Solana worked as a museum attendant at the Richardson Family Art Museum throughout her junior and senior year, gaining valuable hands-on experience in maintaining a welcoming atmosphere in an exhibition space. Solana also volunteered at the Spartanburg Art Museum throughout her time at Wofford.
In addition, Solana has had exposure to various departments in museums, including education and visitor engagement. She has had significant experiences at the James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art and the Tampa Museum of Art.
At UF, Solana is looking forward to expanding her knowledge on how museums can be equitable and accessible to all.
Shelby graduated in the fall of 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a minor in Spanish from Mississippi College. In 2020, she began working in Memphis, TN as an English as a Second Language (ESL) educator. After deciding on a career shift and with her passion for museums, she decided to pursue a master’s in Museum Studies. While interested in all aspects that make up a museum, her main interest lies with museum education. In addition, she is passionate about trauma-informed practices and youth outreach in museums. Shelby was drawn to the program at the University of Florida because of their emphasis on change and the interdisciplinary nature of the program. She endeavors to be part of the work that make museums more accessible and community-oriented.
Caroline Davis is pursuing a Masters in Museum Studies. She is from St. Augustine, FL where she graduated from Flagler College in Art History, Class of 2020. Following college, she worked for the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center, a local Black history museum. Some of her hobbies and interests include piano, live music, cats, and swing dancing!
Isabella received her BA in History at the University of Florida. A proud double gator thankful for the opportunities she got at UF, like working in the Florida Museum’s Herbarium. Here she worked in the bryophyte collections, organizing and digitizing, solidifying her desire to work in museums. Being from Miami she was surrounded by many different cultures and their histories. She felt that there weren’t many spaces or opportunities for her to learn about these things. She believes she can make an impact on community understanding and change the way histories are shared.
Maile grew up in Neptune Beach, FL and moved to Mililani, HI in high school. She received her undergraduate degree in history and anthropology from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. During her undergraduate career, Maile completed a field school at Volcanoes National Park and worked as an archaeology lab assistant. Maile is interested in working in museum collections and has interned in the collections department of the Hawaiian Mission House Historic Site and Archives. She wants to combine her love of archaeology and museums into being an archaeology collections manager. Her goal while at UF is to explore the local museums and get as much experience as possible. Maile is excited to learn how to increase accessibility to collections more about the repatriation process.
Kaitlin graduated from the University of South Florida in 2024, with her BA in History and a minor in Art History. Through a class in her undergraduate program, she was able to help create a specialized tour for people with dementia and Alzheimer’s at the James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art. She also served as the Exhibitions and Collections intern at the Florida Holocaust Museum. Both experiences made her fall in love with museum work, behind the scenes and public facing, and encouraged her to pursue a degree in Museum Studies. She hopes to use what she learns to help preserve the histories of our world and to work towards making museums more accessible to all.
Barrett graduated in 2010 from St. Mary’s College of Maryland with a bachelor in theatre and minored in art history, focusing on costume and set design. She grew up outside of Washington, DC, and was always excited to visit the Smithsonian whenever she had the opportunity. Since middle school, she has wanted to pursue a career in discovering, caring for, and telling the stories of artifacts. Barrett likes collecting various objects that had a meaningful story or experience attached to it, such as animal figures, fossils, and small nick-knacks that she bought or was given from around the world. Engaging with an artifact, art, or specimen and learning about its history and deeper meaning has always been her ideal and most effective way to learn about the world.
Barrett love stories and connecting to the past and the present and museums allow us to connect in a unique and sometimes creative manner. Her experiences with museums have been through both volunteering and working with libraries. She previously volunteered with the Florida Natural History Museum in the vertebrae lab uncovering turtle remains and helping with special events hosted at the museum. She has also volunteered with the Harn Museum gift shop and hosted a table at a few of their Museum Nights representing Marston Science Library. Barrett has worked with the Matheson Museum in the capacity of organizing and recording their archival materials. Additionally, she has co-created several exhibits at the Marston Science Library and helps launch library exhibits.
Barrett’s original major going into undergrad was Art History with a goal of working with museums. She changed her major to theatre after working on a few plays and enjoying the artistic side of the storytelling process. After years of working in theatre, she began working with the public library, followed by Marston Science Library at the University of Florida. Her library experiences at UF allowed her to work with and create exhibits, as well as attend events at the Harn and Museums of Natural History. These experiences, along with her amazing and eye-opening class with Dr. Porchia Moore, inspired her (along with a push from Patrick Grigsby) to apply for the Museum Studies Graduate Program at the University of Florida. The staff, faculty, and students in this program have been amazing, and she feels honored to be a part of this program.