Hi there!
My name is Sydney and I am the founder of Lakes Region Curation. I’ve always loved history, but I never thought I’d pursue it as a career; in fact, I wanted to be a science teacher for a very long time! It was during high school that my dreams changed and I worked with faculty to create two of my very own senior independent studies: one was making an exhibit for the technology education department and the other was an off-campus internship at a local history museum. Through both of these opportunities, I was able to find my passion in the history world: museum curation.
Before getting into my career, let me share a little more about myself. I’m a Wisconsin native, having grown up near Green Bay. I was a musical theater kid, volunteer, bookworm, and loved doing anything art-related. Nowadays, I have also added crocheting, traveling, and photography to my list of hobbies. The picture on the left is from a trip I took this past summer to the Grand Tetons in Wyoming. In 2020, I moved to New Hampshire, fell in love, and the rest is history! I live with my husband, our cat, and our bunny – a happy little family.
Pursuing My Passion
After graduating high school, I went on to receive my dual Bachelor of Arts in History & Digital and Public Humanities from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
During my undergraduate studies, I had many incredible opportunities, including interning at another local museum, studying abroad in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, and even collaborating with the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame & Museum on a history project through one of my courses. My time in Green Bay was excellent and taught me a great deal about the relationships between communities and historical institutions. Unfortunately, like so many others, my last semester of college was cut short by the rise of COVID-19.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic/lockdown, I had decided that I wanted to continue my education after completing my BA and work on obtaining my Masters degree. As a Wisconsin native, I knew that personally, to feel more well-rounded as a museum professional, I would have to move somewhere with more internship and fellowship opportunities. I applied to 4 programs spanning across the United States and chose to attend the University of New Hampshire as a Museum Studies MA candidate.
In August 2020, I packed up my life into 10 boxes and drove halfway across the country to a place I’d never visited before filled with people I’d never met. Life looked pretty odd at this time: full COVID protocols were still in place, and I didn’t know what my peers or teachers looked like for about a year. I only had one in-person class: Museum Studies. Suffice it to say that this class was such a light during those discouraging times and Dr. Kimberly Alexander, the class Professor and Director of the Museum Studies program, was a huge encourager and supporter of her students. Her passion drove my passion and I was able to be a part of two different internships and graduate from UNH with an incredible job opportunity.
Founding Lakes Region Curation
Over the past 8 years, I have worked and interned at various public and private museums and historical institutions. I enjoyed my time at all these places and learned about the back-of-house and front-of-house duties in these businesses. I did, however, notice that there always seemed to be side projects involving community members wanting to explore more about their families or schools inquiring about history field trips. I often saw these projects get put on the back burner, or given to interns, like me! I enjoyed being able to work one-on-one with community members to give them the information, product, or experience that they were looking for.
Additionally, after doing many internships and projects during the pandemic, I learned how to utilize my Digital & Public Humanities degree to its full potential by helping to transition museum curation and education into a digital format. I also practiced and developed many digital and online tools/projects as part of my education. It was through all these opportunities that I saw the potential of offering my skills to the community, thus Lakes Region Curation was born! LRC is a uniquely accessible way to excite people about history by providing individuals, families, and institutions with research expertise and curatorial services, remotely or in person!
Digital and Public, What?
Now that I have mentioned Digital and Public Humanities twice, you may be questioning what that even entails. Digital and Public Humanities uses digital media, artistic design, and research to produce engaging projects that serve and teach the public. I use my Digital and Public Humanities degree to fuel LRC’s mission of creating accessible, immersive, and/or interactive projects that break down the world and knowledge of the humanities. As a person who has experienced the academic and professional world of humanities, I know how daunting and inaccessible it can be to try and understand literature, lectures, and other forms of historical information. You don’t need a degree to understand and enjoy learning history!
In Closing
Thank you for being here! I’m so happy to be finally able to share Lakes Region Curation with you all. I can’t wait to help tackle all of your projects. No question is too big or too small for us!
Best,
Sydney
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