WIU - Museum Studies

WIU Museum Studies Proud to Sponsor in Iowa City
The Western Illinois University Museum Studies Graduate Program is delighted to announce that we are a Bronze Level Sponsor of the 2026 Association of Academic Museums and Galleries (AAMG) Annual Conference, taking place June 9–12 in Iowa City, Iowa, and hosted by the University of Iowa.

As the only graduate museum studies program in the Iowa–Illinois bi-state region, we are proud to support a national gathering that brings academic museum and gallery professionals together right here in our backyard. AAMG's annual conference is a premier venue for professional development, networking, and advocacy across the academic museum field, and we are thrilled to see it land so close to home this year.

We are especially proud to share that Katie Smith, a graduate student in our program, has been awarded a scholarship in support of their attendance at AAMG 2026. Opportunities like this reflect exactly what our program strives to provide: hands-on engagement with the broader professional community and a meaningful seat at the table among museum leaders from across the country.

Congratulations, Katie! We can't wait to hear about your experience in Iowa City.
Join Us in Iowa City

If you'll be attending AAMG 2026, we'd love to connect. Whether you're a current student, an alum, a regional colleague, or a friend of the program, the conference is a wonderful chance to celebrate the work happening in academic museums throughout the Midwest and beyond.

Learn more about the conference at aamg-us.org/aamg-2026.

Front Page - Association of Academic Museums and Galleries The Association of Academic Museums and Galleries is the leading educational and professional organization for academic museums, galleries, and collections. In recognition of the unique opportunities and challenges of its constituents, the AAMG establishes and supports best practices, educational ac...

Career Opportunity:
Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events /

Creative Director - Marketing and Communications Division
(Job Number: 416664)

Application Closing Date: Tuesday, May 26, 11:59 p.m. CDT
For more information and to apply, visit Chi.gov/DCASEJobs

The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) produces some of the city’s most iconic festivals, markets, events, and exhibitions at the Chicago Cultural Center, Millennium Park, and in communities across the city — serving a local and global audience of 25 million people. The Department offers cultural grants and resources, manages public art, supports TV and film production and other creative industries, and permits special events throughout Chicago.

Under direction, the Creative Director supervises the graphic design and production of materials for the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) and a host of City of Chicago sponsored events, festivals, and programs. The position also supervises the activities of graphic artists engaged in the design of artwork and print materials.

Please direct all questions and inquiries to DCASE.

🚨 Happening Monday! 🚨

Join us for IMA Plugged-In: Suspicious Mail Identification and Response Training

📅 May 18, 2026
⏰ 12:00 PM

Designed to improve workplace safety, this session will help museum professionals identify suspicious mail, assess potential threats, and respond appropriately to unknown substances, explosive devices, and threatening correspondence.

In this session, you’ll learn:
✔️ How to recognize suspicious mail and warning signs
✔️ Best practices for responding to potential threats
✔️ Practical tools to reduce risk and strengthen workplace safety

Presenter: Jay Knox, Executive Director, Safeguard Iowa Partnership

Sponsored by: Western Illinois University Museum Studies Graduate Program

Sign up for the Plugged-In mailing list to receive Zoom details (one-time sign-up for the full series): iowamuseums.org/pluggedin

Happening now!

✨ WIU Museum Studies 2026 Graduate Spotlight: Salem Shinn ✨

Salem Shinn has made the most of every opportunity during their time in the WIU Museum Studies program — and we are so proud to celebrate all they have accomplished! 🏛️

🗂️ Collections Internships: Putnam Museum & Muscatine Art Center
Salem completed multiple collections internships at two outstanding regional institutions — the Putnam Museum and the Muscatine Art Center, gaining deep, hands-on experience in the care, organization, and documentation of museum collections.

🏠 More than A Home — Original Exhibition, January 2025
This past January, Salem brought their research and curatorial skills together to present More than A Home, an original exhibition in WIU Museum Studies' new exhibition space. The exhibit explored three historic homes in the Quad City area, examining how these houses tell stories far beyond their architecture — about the families, communities, and histories they hold.

🤝 Conference Engagement: IMA & IAM
Salem attended the Iowa Museum Association Annual Conference in both 2024 and 2025, and the Illinois Association of Museums Annual Conference in 2025. Showing up year after year reflects Salem's genuine investment in the field and its growing network of museum colleagues throughout the bi-state region.

🎓 GEMS Officer
Salem served as an officer for GEMS — Graduate Experience in Museum Studies — contributing to the leadership and community of WIU's student museum organization.

🎨 2025 GEMS Triptych Award
Salem was honored with the Triptych Award, which recognizes a student who brings special emphasis to art.

Salem, your dedication to collections work, your curatorial vision, your engagement with the broader museum community, and your sharp eye for art and its contexts are a gift to this program. We can't wait to see where your career takes you! 🌟

Today, Western Hall sits quiet … but soon it will be filled with cheers, proud families, happy tears, and WIU graduates ready to take their next step. 💜

Congratulations to the Class of 2026! Your Western journey may be ending, but you will always be part of the Leatherneck family. Once a Leatherneck, always a Leatherneck. 🎓

✨ Graduate Spotlight: Dr. LaShanta Williams ✨

Western Illinois University Museum Studies is proud to celebrate Dr. LaShanta Williams, who has earned their Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Museum Studies! 🎓

Dr. LaShanta Williams, the Rock Island-Milan School District’s English Language/Bilingual Coordinator, is an educator deeply inspired by museums and the powerful role they play in our communities. Their passion for education and storytelling caught the attention of WHBF OurQuadCities, which featured Dr. Williams as part of its Black History Month spotlight series — a recognition of the meaningful work Dr. Williams brings to the field and to our region.

Museums need voices like Dr. Williams' — people who understand that history is not just preserved but lived, interpreted, and shared. We are so glad that the WIU Museum Studies program was part of their journey.

📺 Watch the WHBF feature here: https://www.ourquadcities.com/video/black-history-month-dr-lashanta-williams/10398302

Congratulations, Dr. Williams! 🌟

Black History Month: Dr. LaShanta Williams Black History Month: Dr. LaShanta Williams

More amazing photos of our WIU Museum Studies 2026 graduates! Congratulations!

✨ 2026 Graduate Spotlight: Allie Mitchem ✨
We are so proud to celebrate everything Allie Mitchem has accomplished during her time in the WIU Museum Studies program as she graduates this spring. Here's her story! 🏛️

🏺 2025 Practicum at the Putnam Museum
Over three months, Allie moved approximately 1,200 ceramic and glass dishes from storage into brand-new floor-to-ceiling display cases — making these remarkable objects publicly viewable for the very first time.

🏆 Iowa Museum Association 2025 Conference Scholarship
WIU Museum Studies proudly celebrated Allie for earning an IMA 2025 Conference Scholarship. She later reflected in the IMAges newsletter: "Conferences are perhaps the best opportunity to step out of your normal social sphere and meet other museum professionals. I met many friendly and interesting people with whom I have continued to stay in contact."

☀️ 2025 Summer Internship at the Family Museum
Allie explored the power of the Imagination Studio during her internship. She shared: "Out of all the arts and crafts rooms I have been in, none of them have had woodworking stations for children like the Studio does. It gives them an opportunity to practice skills such as hammering and drilling that many would not learn until they are much older. It is great to see young children improving their fine motor skills!"

🎓 GEMS President & Group Leadership Award
Throughout her time at WIU, Allie has served as President of GEMS — Graduate Experience in Museum Studies — our student organization dedicated to professional development and community. She was recognized with the 2025 GEMS "Group Leadership" Award.

🌟 What's next: Children's Library Assistant, Atkins Public Library
This spring, Allie began a new position as Children's Library Assistant at the Atkins Public Library — a wonderful next step that brings together her passion for visitor-centered work, hands-on learning, and serving young audiences. Congratulations, Allie — we can't wait to see all that you do!