Name of student: Emily Williams

Hometown: Zionsville, IN

Program: Master of Arts in Arts Administration

Expected Graduation: Spring 2025

Can you tell our students a little bit about yourself?

In the fall I will be a second year MAAA student focusing in visual arts and museum studies. I majored in Art History and Museum Studies with a minor in Management at University of North Texas for undergrad. I really enjoy museums and want to help make them approachable for any museum-goer.

What made you apply to the MAAA program at O’Neill?

I took a few classes in the program before officially applying. What won me over is the well-rounded perspectives that both professors and students bring from all areas of the arts and that the program is built for students to gain experience in the area of arts administration they are most interested in. 

What are you currently working on that excites you?

One of the projects I am on right now is an art show I am helping to coordinate as a practicum project. Organizing a show is always something that I have wanted to experience, and the Healing Art Show I am helping with is such an important opportunity for the community to talk about mental health.

At the Eskenazi Museum of Art I am a graduate assistant in a research and writing project that aims to increase online self-tours and classroom resources the museum offers.

Tell us about the skills you’re developing.

The Healing Art Show has applied my skills of communication and organization in different ways I have used than before. It has been amazing to develop relationships in the art community while looking for venues and researching how others have hosted gallery openings to ensure our show is successful for those we are supporting. I am also sharpening my researching and writing skills for the museum. It is a balance of academic research and writing for the public audience that I really enjoy.

What are your future career goals?

My goal has always been to work in an art museum on an education and/or community engagement team.

If you’d like more information about the Healing Art Show, or if you’d like to submit artwork, feel free to click on the QR code provided in the poster (submission deadline is 9/2/24).