Museum Council Mentorship Program: Q&A with Jennifer Leibert and Kendyl Boyd

In Summer 2020, the Museum Council of Greater Philadelphia launched its pilot Emerging Professional Mentorship Program. The inaugural cohort includes 20 participants (10 mentor/mentee pairs) 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.

According to Amanda Lampel, Museum Council Emerging Professionals Committee Chair, “Breaking into the museum field can often be difficult and intimidating, especially now that our field has been ravaged by the effects of the coronavirus. I see this program as a way for emerging professionals to seek support and guidance from both their mentors and a larger network of professionals and fellow mentees to inform the choices that will help advance their careers.”

Read Museum Council’s Q&A with one of the mentor/mentee pairs, Jennifer Leibert (mentor) and Kendyl Boyd (mentee), for more insights on the role of mentorship in the museum field. For more information or questions about the Mentorship Program, please email Amanda Lampel at phillyemp@gmail.com. 

Can you tell us a bit about your career path?

Jennifer: After college, I received a Mayor's Fellowship to work in Philadelphia's Public Art Office.  When that program ended,  I went to graduate school for Museum Education. During my graduate program, I interned at The Clay Studio, which led to a job with their Claymobile program. Since that time, I was also the Education Coordinator at the Barnes Foundation, worked in the education department at the Penn Museum (where I spent many of my weekends as a kid), and was the Education Curator at the New Jersey State House. Most recently, I was the Volunteer Manager for the Mayor's Office of Education but was laid off due to Covid-19.

Kendyl: I am currently a Senior Art Education major at Moore College of Art & Design, and an emerging arts and culture educator. During my first year at Moore, I began volunteering with Community and Family Programs at the Barnes Foundation, and that following summer I participated in the Andrew W. Mellon Undergraduate Curatorial Summer Academy at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA). Both of these opportunities introduced me to the wonderful world of Museum Education. Last summer I was an intern in the Family Programs department at the PMA, and until the pandemic, I had been a Family Programs Workshop Assistant.

What drew you to participating in Museum Council's Mentorship Program? What do you hope to get out of this experience?

Jennifer: I was drawn to participate because I never had a mentor or any connections to the museum field before entering it, and really wish I did (especially job-hunting)! I am hoping to help guide a future colleague with their professional path and help that person make the right connections and decisions for their career to grow.

Kendyl: I found out about the Museum Council’s Mentorship Program after the pandemic had already publicly closed schools and museums, and thought it would be a great opportunity to keep myself connected with the museum world here in the Greater Philadelphia area. I figured that even though I may not be able to continue working with my existing mentors and advisors, I could still engage in professional development and learn from other museum educators in the area. I hope to come out of this mentorship experience with a better idea of how I can continue to assist museum’s and their educational missions during this digital age.

“Great mentors, like educators, rise by lifting others. They are as kind as they are knowledgeable and experienced, and are always willing to help and guide their mentees in any way they can. ”

Have there been any other mentor relationships (either as a mentor or mentee) that have played an important role in your career? If so, how?

Jennifer: No, I never had a mentor.

Kendyl: I took an interest in education and teaching when I realized the impact I could have on others in various mentoring roles I played during high school, and after considering the impact that my own middle school art teacher had on my love for the arts. Many of the museum educators I have had the opportunity to work with over the years have also served as a mentor to me in some way or form by offering connections and opportunities in the museum and education world. These connections have kept me in close contact with many of these folks, even during these times when we are apart from one another. It feels great to know that I have support from these individuals who see my potential and drive as an educator.

In your experience, what are the most important qualities or characteristics in a mentor/mentee?

Jennifer: For a mentor, I feel an important characteristic is truly caring about helping someone grow both professionally and with their confidence. For a mentee, I think asking lots of questions (no question is silly, especially when you are finishing school and starting your career!). 

Kendyl: Great mentors, like educators, rise by lifting others. They are as kind as they are knowledgeable and experienced, and are always willing to help and guide their mentees in any way they can. These mentors do not only share their knowledge and network with mentees, but they champion them beyond the end of any official program. My best mentors and advisors have always included me in their circles and have treated me with the respect of an equal, which I strongly believe has contributed to my confidence and pre-service success. 

“This program can help people see that art and culture can thrive through anything, and are needed more than ever. ”

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a lot of uncertainty in the museum field. How do you think that mentorship can play a role in helping museum professionals navigate this challenging time?

Jennifer: I feel it is a great program to help like-minded people stay positive and have a camaraderie during this time. I also feel this program can help people see that art and culture can thrive through anything, and are needed more than ever. 

Kendyl: Mentorship for museum professionals during this time is building community and offering space for both seasoned and emerging museum works to brainstorm ways in which we can stay involved and continue to facilitate community engagement. Even while many of us are out of work, I see no shortage of opportunities to educate, learn, share, and come together. Initiatives like the Museum Council’s Mentorship Program has kept the ball rolling and the cogs churning in the minds of museum workers as we all come together to navigate these times, together.