At WKU
This page details the experiences I had while in the Folk Studies program, including an internship, museum work, and public folklore events.
Internship
In Spring 2019, I interned at the Kentucky Museum under Sandy Staebell. I was tasked with creating a searchable document with themed selections from the Rather-Westerman political collection. This will serve as a guiding tool for the Museum as it develops the "Political Bandwagon" exhibit, opening in 2020.
To generate this list, I familiarized myself with the collection using PastPerfect. Where needed, I also updated listings in the museum software, took photographs of the objects, and more.
(Photo by Kate McElroy)
Kentucky Crafted
In March 2019, Dr. Tim Evans's Folklore and Education class attended the Kentucky Crafted artisan festival in Lexington, KY.
While there, I (right) led a narrative stage on Kentucky basketmaking traditions. The stage featured Kentucky basketmakers Vicki Hast (left) and Jan Treesh (center). I also created signs for use in the Woven Treasures area (see Work Samples).
(Photo by Eleanor Miller)
Museum Assistantship
In the spring of 2018, I served as a graduate assistant for Sandy Staebell at the Kentucky Museum. I assisted in measuring, photographing, and identifying features of items in the collection.
Once the items in the Kentucky Museum's collection were selected for exhibition, I often assisted in preparing them - including sewing a sleeve on the backing of a quilt so that it can be hung in the quilt gallery.
(Photos by Sandy Staebell)
Graduate Student Association
Graduate Student Association
Joel Chapman and I served as the president and secretary (respectively) of the Folk Studies Graduate Student Association during the 2018-2019 academic year. In these roles, we held meetings, attempted to foster a sense of community between cohorts, and served as points of contact between faculty and students.
(Photo by Anne Rappaport)
Hammer-In
Folk Studies MA students Delainey Bowers, Eleanor Miller, Joel Chapman, and I (left to right) volunteered at the 2018 Hammer-In event at the Kentucky Museum. This public event celebrated blacksmithing and metalworking traditions in the state of Kentucky.
While there, I counted visitors, took photographs, and assisted people at the information booth.
(Photo by Tim Evans)
Horse Cave Heritage Festival
At the 2018 Horse Cave Heritage Festival, Virginia Siegel (far left) and I
(far right) led a narrative stage on local foodways entitled "Community Cookbooks". The stage featured cookbook authors Donna Logson, Janet Schneider, and Charles Williams (middle left to middle right).
While there, I also logged for other narrative stages and took photographs of the event.
(Photo by Hunter Bowles)