WIU Museum Studies Program Sponsors the 2025 Career Conversations

March 24, 2025

MOLINE, IL - - The Western Illinois University Museum Studies program will sponsor the 2025 Career Conversations from 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 10, via Zoom. This virtual Zoom event is for emerging professionals, professionals in career transition and individuals interested in connecting with these vibrant groups of professionals.

During the event, panelists will share their educational and career paths, discuss the road to their current positions, explore the highs and lows of working in cultural institutions and answer any questions from the audience. This event aims to highlight the diversity of paths in the museum field and the choices some professionals have made for their education and careers.

"Career Conversations sheds light on the educational and career paths of professionals who share how they came to work in museums. WIU Museum Studies is especially excited this year because two of the panelists are alumni of our very own program." Heidi Lung, director of Museum Studies said. "Events like Career Conversations are essential for students to see the diversity within the museum field and all the options available. WIU Museum Studies is proud to sponsor this Career Conversations and partner with the Iowa Museum Association to connect students with professional networks."

This year's panel includes:

David Anderson is the current registrar at the Museum of Danish America in Elk Horn, IA. He studied general history at Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO and received his Master of Arts at the University of Colorado in Denver. He has worked at several museums and historic locations, including the Center of Southwest Studies, the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, History Colorado and the Broomfield Veterans Museum before taking an internship at the Museum of Danish American, which transitioned into the full-time registrar position.

Alexandra Nasharr currently serves as curator at the Osceola History Museum and Welcome Center in Kissimmee, FL. She graduated from the WIU Museum Studies Master of Arts program in 2024 and served as a graduate assistant, curatorial intern and gallery host for the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, IA, where she assisted with installing exhibitions and developing educational materials. Her background is in fine arts and in addition to her Master of Arts, she holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute, in Chicago.

Eli Sadler is currently an assistant registrar at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. He graduated from the WIU Museum Studies Master of Art program in 2024. He served as a graduate assistant at the Family Museum in Bettendorf, IA and completed internships at the German American Heritage Center and Museum and the Putnam Museum in Davenport, IA. In addition to his Master of Arts, Eli earned a Bachelor of Arts in Ancient and Classical Studies from Earlham College in Richmond, IN.

Jennifer Beall is the events and communications coordinator at Brucemore in Cedar Rapids, IA. She earned a museum studies certificate from the University of Iowa in 2021 and a Master's in Library and Information Science with certificates in Digital Humanities and Special Collections Librarianship in 2023. Beall has worked at several museums and cultural institutions, primarily in communications and events management roles.

This online event is free, but registration is required. Once registered, participants will receive a link to the online event. Register at this link.

Students in the Quad City area can attend a live stream party on the WIU Moline campus from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The gathering will include food, drinks and networking opportunities for emerging museum professionals.

For more information, contact the Museum Studies director Heidi Lung, at hk-lung@wiu.edu

For more information on the WIU Museum Studies program, visit wiu.edu/cofac/qc/museumstudies/.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing

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Western Illinois University

Western Illinois University