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. 

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, and cats!

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.