tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36200988.post4093884630020872038..comments2023-10-20T02:35:03.092-06:00Comments on Young Museum Professionals: Benefitting from Professional OrganizationsNathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14300496617869271831noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36200988.post-2794845889170292382011-04-15T07:08:35.113-06:002011-04-15T07:08:35.113-06:00I agree, we must be careful and think properly bef...I agree, we must be careful and think properly before joining new organization because it can either help us if not stress us more.Investments for beginnershttp://www.beginner-investing-made-easy.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36200988.post-14051704482261707912007-04-11T16:27:00.000-06:002007-04-11T16:27:00.000-06:00Hey Nina,I can hardly refute what you say. I agree...Hey Nina,<BR/><BR/>I can hardly refute what you say. I agree that there are indeed a lot of professional organizations that seem to exist only to produce a bi-annual newsletter. They are frequently impersonal and their benefits are indiscernible. However, I feel that the true value of professional organizations lies not within the services they provide, but in the investment you put into them. I, too, joined a number of professional organizations that I found to be a waste of my money. I never read the newsletter, I couldn't afford to go to the conferences, and I felt no kinship to the other members. It wasn't until I actually became more involved with these organizations (volunteering for committees, etc) that I discovered that I was truly reaping some rewards.<BR/><BR/>I also think that it is assumed that only the large, more prestigious organizations offer any true benefit. In my opinion, that sentiment is entirely false. Before I came to Chicago I spent a little tour of duty in the small Midwestern city of Terre Haute, Indiana. Athens it was not. But, it did have a number of cultural institutions--most of who languished due to under-use and under-funding. One day, I initiated a small brown bag lunch meeting to get acquainted with other museum professionals in town. During what became monthly meetings we discussed many issues that were important to us and found that, collectively, we faced many of the same challenges. Over time, we developed from a small group of casual acquaintances into a sizeable affiliation. We collected some very paltry dues and used that money to advocate the interests of the community's cultural organizations as a whole. In what was really a short time span, we produced some great results and gained the support of the city, the mayor, and the local economic development bureau. While I didn’t learn much about museum education or anything directly related to my job, I did learn a great deal about leadership and collaboration and felt greatly rewarded by the experience. <BR/><BR/>Since that time, I have left Terre Haute and I have gotten more involved with EdCom and other different organizations. They have been a huge investment in time and resources, but I have had an opportunity to meet some very interesting individuals, network with all kinds of people, and get some good “face time” with leaders who might be beneficial to me in my career in the future. So, in essence, I think that professional organizations have more offer as a long term investment than a short term benefit.<BR/><BR/>Let’s talk more soon.<BR/><BR/>NathanNathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14300496617869271831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36200988.post-752112879104624552007-04-10T17:18:00.000-06:002007-04-10T17:18:00.000-06:00Nathan,I wrote a blog post awhile ago entitled, P...Nathan,<BR/><BR/>I wrote a blog post awhile ago entitled, <A HREF="http://www.museumtwo.com/2006/12/professional-associations-where-are.html" REL="nofollow"> Professional Associations that Don't Suck.</A> As a young person who didn't go to graduate school, I never got pushed by anyone to join an association, and frankly, have seen very mixed value in their offerings. To me, these organizations are a means to an end--cheaper fees for the AAM conference the most significant--and I don't derive any particular allegiance, community, or education from being a member. <BR/><BR/>But I wish I did. Which is why I wrote the post, which is mostly about the potential philosophy, focus, and activities of a great association. I'd love to hear your and other thoughts.Nina Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11723930679606298550noreply@blogger.com