Museum Monday: Summer Seminar

Everyone, keep your fingers crossed! If all goes as planned, I'll be in Chicago from July 9-20 for my Master's degree two-week seminar. My boss already approved the time off from work. It is required all of students in the Museum Studies program at Johns Hopkins. Basically, the seminar is a two-week, intensive practicum. Each winter and summer session, the seminars are hosted in 2 different locations. In the past, seminars have been in places like London, Berline, DC, New York City, and Baltimore. This summer, the seminars are being hosted in Chicago and Barcelona, Spain. The international options would obviously be phenomenal. However, the Chicago option would be incredibly convenient and most affordable. Plus, I'd get to visit one my best friends and learn in some world-class museums, like the Field Museum. 


Here's a snipit from the JHU website:

"A two-week, intensive, period of on-ground museum study in Washington, DC, or in another location organized by the Museum Studies Program, is a required component for graduation. The seminar includes practicum opportunities in a variety of museum settings; conversations with local museum professionals; observation of and interaction with museum visitors; and class sessions to integrate the daily experiences. Using the rich diversity of museums in the Washington area or an equally suitable site, this course provides students with the chance to use what they have learned in their prior courses, develop networks with fellow students and museum experts, and explore the latest in museum practice, including exhibition design and development, public programming, collections management, conservation, and uses of technology in the museum. Students work on directed activities during the two-week period, and the museum visits during the seminars are very focused on the academic work being accomplished."

I'll need to do a seminar before I am eligible to graduate, but need to save some money. I'm trying to work out whether or not this is affordable right now. Fortunately, financial aid will cover the cost of tuition for the class. Now I just need to come up with the money for all of the travel expenses for 2 weeks and one less paycheck from work. 

Just living the life of an aspiring museum professional...