With K-State support, a student finds her place in the museum world
Art has long reflected the values, beliefs and passions of cultures around the world. Preserved in art museums, these stories are meant to be shared and enjoyed by all — a sentiment that resonates deeply with K-State student Alyssa Sukup.
Through K-State’s Mark Chapman Scholars program, Sukup landed an internship at Kansas City’s Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art with the brand and content team. In this role, she assisted in content creation and social media-related duties to share art with the public.
“My internship drastically expanded my professional network within the museum industry, showed me a lot of the inner workings of an art museum and gave me a chance to interact with departments I didn’t know much about,” Sukup said. “I was able to meet with various staff at the museum to discuss their positions and career paths.”
The intern experience also motivated Sukup to refine her personal goals.
“I learned I am capable of working on the social media side of museums, but it is not what I am most passionate about,” she said. “Working there helped me discover that I am more interested in the education and engagement area. Seeing all the programs the Nelson-Atkins provides for visitors was so interesting and something I want to be a part of.”
This internship was a significant change in lifestyle when compared to Sukup’s daily life as an active student juggling varying commitments. She had to train herself to take breaks from screen time and find ways to stay active outside of her daily work. Despite the challenges, she is eager to join an art museum workforce in the future.
Without K-State’s support, Sukup could not have held this position, as most museum internships are not paid.
“The experience taught me a lot about problem solving that I continue to utilize in all aspects of my life,” she said. “I am very grateful to Chapman Scholars for the opportunity.”
By Kate Ellwood