Student Connections

DIGITAL PROGRAM

STUDENT DOCENTS

SPRING 2020

During the Spring 2020 quarter, The Block’s 18 student docents actively engaged in remote learning focused on the museum’s collection. Adopting a work of art for their in-depth research, they become its “ambassador,” building a digital file that will support future teaching, exhibition development, and docent training. The students also fostered community through a remote social space, "The Virtual Block Spot,” where they met each Friday. “I bring so much from The Block into my everyday life! Right now, I am carrying the many facilitation skills that The Block has taught me into my work for a student group a part of. As we navigate virtual meetings, the patience, consideration, and compassion that I have learned from The Block have been vital in ensuring that our conversations are always both productive and thoughtful.” – Erin Claeys (Comm ‘21)

DIGITAL PROGRAM

CHECKING IN ON… SERIES

SPRING 2020

Select student workers continued to contribute to The Block during Spring 2020, supporting our teaching mission and learning from our staff. A blog series titled Checking In On... allowed us to share their work with the public and celebrate their contributions. The Block has been a central part of my undergraduate experience, and over the last few years. I miss spending afternoons in the Block library and seeing my wonderful colleagues every day, but working on these projects reminds me of the importance of art in our everyday lives, especially during challenging times like these. Engaging with art–both online and offline!–opens space for reflection, for dreaming, for building strength and community. – Lois Biggs (WCAS ‘20)

DIGITAL PROGRAM

DOCENT DIARIES SERIES

SPRING 2020

In addition to their collection research The Block docents engaged the public throughout the quarter by launching a Spring 2020 student blog series called Docent Diaries. In weekly public posts the students shared glimpses into their personal lives, cultural inspiration, and remembrances from their museum work.

“I am always thinking about Caravans of Gold, particularly the fragment of Qingbai porcelain. This small object showed how interconnected the world was, despite the common idea that the world didn’t globalize until much later. Especially right now, when we are all craving connectivity, it makes me happy to think about all that the world has seen and shared.” – Janet Lee (Medill ‘20)

“Being willing to have your mind changed, even in a leadership or facilitator position, and adopting a willingness to notice something new and to be surprised is a profound gift that docent work at the Block has given me, and one I don’t take for granted." – Meghan Considine (WCAS '20)

DIGITAL PROGRAM

DIRECTOR DIALOGUE WITH THE 2020 CLASS

SPRING 2020

In a series of online conversations, museum director Lisa Corrin spoke with graduating Northwestern seniors about how the Block has contributed to their Northwestern direction, and why museums matter at this time. The resulting dialogues celebrated the work of the students and amplified their contributions in a series of online videos shared during graduation week.