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Mentorship Program Q&A with Jenny Leibert (Mentor)

Xena Wang, the 2022-2024 Emerging Museum Professionals (EMP) Chair, continued President Amanda Lampel's mentorship work by leading the Museum Council of Greater Philadephia's third Mentorship Program. The cohort included 24 pairs (with 7 mentors taking on more than 1 mentee) across a broad spectrum of museum disciplines, including education, marketing and communications, registration and collections management, development, and membership. By facilitating these relationships, the Mentorship Program seeks to strengthen connections among museum professionals in the Philadelphia region, build a network of support, and foster a more equitable entry into the museum field.

Jenny Leibert, a returning Museum Council member, shares her background and mentor experience in this year's program. For more information, questions, or future involvement in the Mentorship Program, please email Xena Wang at phillyemp@gmail.com

1. Tell us about your background! How did you become interested in museums and begin this career path?

I hold an M.A. degree in Museum Education from the University of the Arts. I grew up in Philadelphia visiting museums almost every weekend as a child and that had a lasting impact on me.   My career in arts and culture started as a Mayoral Fellow in the City's Public Art Office (now the Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy), and has spanned education roles with The Clay Studio, the Barnes Foundation, Penn Museum, and the New Jersey State House Historic Site.  I was also a caretaker for a Revolutionary War site for 9 years. Currently, I am the Manager, K-12 Education Partnerships for the Challenger Center for Space Science Education located in Washington, D.C. In this role, I work with teachers and students all over the country to make sure they have access to quality STEM resources (for example, I recently worked with Minecraft Education and NASA to develop lesson plans around Minecraft's Artemis World game. They are available free to teachers).  

I love being involved with a space science education organization, especially with many exciting events happening in the field (James Webb Telescope, Artemis, and new space companies popping up).  I can see myself staying on this trajectory! 

2. How did you get involved with the Museum Council?

I received an email a few years ago about the mentorship program and knew instantly it was something I wanted to do! I never had a mentor and wanted to help others in the same position. 

3. What advice would you give to those building a relationship with their mentor or mentee? 

I think it is helpful to explain the issues many new museum professionals face are common and they are not alone. Also, I think it helps to learn as much about your mentee's professional interests and background as possible to best help that person be successful, especially when the mentee has questions for the mentor about the field.  Knowing your mentee's interests and background really helps you provide the best guidance and advice. 

4. What kind of learning experiences did you gain during the program?

That the hiring process within museums (and how many people apply for a role) is still very much the same as 15+ years ago when I entered the field.   

5. What advice about mentorship do you want to impart to future EMPs? 

Connect with colleagues as much as possible, volunteer (if you can), and build a website showcasing your work.  Sign up for listservs and other museum studies programs' email lists. Stay connected to your alma mater's career center for free help with your cover letter and resume. Use them to connect with other alumni,  even if those alumni are not aligned with the museum field (for example, other nonprofit professionals or government professionals connected to historic sites or parks - you never know who they know!) 

Thank you, Jenny, for sharing these experiences with the Museum Council and for your mentorship! 

Meg Bowersox