Museum Studies Student Organization
Welcome!
The Museum Studies Student Organization (MSSO) welcomes you to the Museum Studies Program at New York University. Part of what makes NYU’s Museum Studies Program unique is the close interaction and collaboration between students, faculty, alumni, and museum staff and experts. The MSSO, a student-run and faculty-advised club on campus, harnesses the energy of these interactions through a wide array of events and activities.
The mission of MSSO is to provide resources for the academic, professional, and social development of graduate students in Museum Studies. We strive to foster a dialogue among Museum Studies students and alumni, faculty, and the larger arts and cultural sector in New York City through the events we host at NYU and throughout New York City.
Our goals for graduate students in the Museum Studies Program are to:
● Engage in museum-related discourse.
● Network within the museum field.
● Build personal and professional relationships within the Program and with alumni.
● Gain skills and information through trainings, lectures, and Professional Development social events.
We endeavor to represent the broad interests of our diverse graduate student population and provide support for students to organize educational activities and social events that enrich student life at NYU.
Some of our past events have been:
● An Open Forum discussing thesis and internship opportunities with alumni from the program.
● A Gallery Tour through the art-driven Chelsea neighborhood.
● A “Kick-Start” Your Professional Development Information Session.
● Faculty dinners with full-time and adjunct faculty.
● Holiday parties and special events.
President: Daniella Zarlengo
Vice President: Brandon Green
Social Chair: Amanda Olsen
Academic Chair: Ashley Amorison
Communications Chair: Alison Hendrickson
Budget Chair: Wenonah Nelson
Professional Chair: Julia Russell
MSSO Officers 2011-2012:
President: Patricia Pforte
Vice President: Helen Opper
Social Chair: Christopher Romero
Communications Chair: Vanessa Hadox
Academic Chair: Alicia Ryan
Professional Chair: Kristin North
Budget Co-Chair: Elizabeth Stevens, T. Nicole Bertsch
First-Year representatives: Barbara Johnson, Daniella Zarlengo, Xuan Sheng
2011-2012 Academic Year Programming Initiatives
Alumni Events
Networking events with graduates of the Museum Studies Program to find out what they have learned from their studies and where they are now! Find contacts using our Alumni Directory.
Faculty Dinners
Dinners hosted three times a semester that feature two professors from the Program in an intimate setting. Learn about how they became involved with museums, as well as their professional and personal interests, over good food at some of our favorite NYC restaurants. Reservations required!
Museum Tours and Events
Personalized tours lead by MSSO members of their favorite museum or internship location. We will also keep you up to date on the various goings-on at local museums and organizations that we think you will be interested in, including openings, lectures, and workshops that you can attend.
Workshops
Meet the professionals in the museum, culture, and arts businesses. Learn about what the professionals do -- from design, art handling, shipping, and packaging to managing databases such as The Museum System and Raiser's Edge. Reservations will be required.
Happy Hours
Take a break to relax and socialize outside of the classroom with first- and second-year students over a drink at a neighborhood bar or lounge. These are casual events, open to all Museum Studies students, and no reservations are required.
Gallery Crawls and Walking Tours
Tour galleries and attend opening receptions in Chelsea or Williamsburg, join us for an evening full of art, music, food, and beverages. Reservations will be required.
Peer Panels
Hear second-year Museum Studies students speak about their experiences with for-credit internships, thesis writing, and beginning the job search. It is a great chance to ask questions, get valuable tips, network, and gear-up for the coming year!
American Association of Museums Annual Conference -- Twin Cities
Prepare to attend the conference to be held April 29 -- May 2, 2012 in Minneapolis/St.Paul. MSSO and the Program in Museum Studies will sponsor three students to go at a discounted fare. Assistance with planning, making reservations, and navigating the conference programming will be provided to any additional students interested in attending.