I’ll be honest: when I left my full-time gig at the Science Center in order to become a full-time graduate student last year, I was terrified by how this change would alter my own viewpoints and how I am perceived as a professional. I was concerned that I wouldn’t be taken as seriously if a majority of my time (the “full-time” part) was spent studying sector management as opposed to actively working in the sector.
Even as I am halfway into my graduate school experience, I can already look back and say that I had a right to be as terrified as anyone undergoing a big change (especially when thinking that my experience might be like this)– but I’d never take back the change in perspective that I’ve undergone for the time-being. I know full-well that by this time next year, the status will switch back and I will return to the full-time working world (oh, the magic of a professional degree; the point is to go back). But I will always understand the importance of thinking like a graduate student. Here’s why:
1) It forces you to see the big picture. There are things going on in every industry and the way we do business is always evolving. Currently social media, communication, soft skills, and Gen Y’s public service motivation are shaking things up in the nonprofit world, but even after those things run their course, there will be something else. When you are a graduate student you see these things– and what’s more: you see their collective effect on the industry because you spend nearly every day piecing together the puzzle. Thinking like this is extremely valuable because it helps you to mentally tackle many sector problems at once, and scientifically, this kind of thinking helps build up solutions more creatively than tackling one at a time– which is often done in a working environment. Thinking like a graduate student in this sense means always keeping an eye on the bigger picture of the industry as a whole, and it will result in creative solutions and a more complete understanding of where your difficulties lie.
2) Grad students have built-in microscopes or telescopes. That’s like having science tools built into their brains (for a few years), folks! This is directly related to point #1. People often joke that grad students always think what they are doing is important, even though it’s not. What’s really happening here (and the reason we grad students think what we’re uncovering is so important) is that we have a different perspective. As mentioned above, in professional degrees, we zoom out on the sector. Academic degrees tend to zoom in on a part of the sector. Either way, grad students are thinking in a way that is not common in workplace environments (whether it’s with their internal microscopes or a telescopes). Thinking differently spawns innovation. Grad students see something non-graduate students don’t see (and often vice-versa). There’s terrific potential here. When faced with a problem after graduate school, I’ll strap my telescope back on and see if I can think about things differently.
3) It makes you aware of your own strengths and interests. In graduate school, you can pursue your own interests within your degree. Beyond MPA student, I have no role defining my duties in one specific area (I can choose as I go). There is a lot of freedom in these programs to make yourself an expert on whatever strikes your interest. Similarly, in graduate school you must do everything from public presentations, to writing case studies, to leading debates, to drawing graphs to illustrate possible solutions to market failures. You learn quickly where you shine… and also where you stink. The bottom line lesson here, however, is to keep exploring and taking up new challenges in the working world. It may lead you to interesting solutions to problems. And trying new things helps you learn a lot more about yourself and how you handle certain situations– it’s teaching me a lot at any rate!
4) It gives you a feeling of purpose (which helps you live longer and makes you better at your job). I have two years while I’m obtaining my degree to challenge perspectives, share crazy ideas freely, and sink my teeth into the sector. I feel a sense of purpose when exploring skills required to improve the sector. Feeling a sense of purpose does more than reduce your risk of getting Alzheimer’s and help prevent depression. It actually makes you live longer. Studies have shown that purpose motivates us to accomplish things and grad students spend two years (or more) devoted to developing their purpose and career goals so that they can work hard for you (or themselves) after they graduate. What can people who aren’t in graduate school do to develop this mindset? Make time to focus on what you are doing and why.
5) It keeps you humble. Folks tend to feel like they are improving in their careers based on how many people are reporting to them throughout the years– or at least I felt this way a bit before I came to grad school. Now, nobody reports to me. I study with a lot of accomplished people and I take classes from distinguished professors. This is humbling. Also, full-time graduate students often take a financial hit to attend school (even if they are employed by the university or working a part-time job– or in my case, both). I’ve worked in hierarchical environments and I’ve started at the very bottom– but being broke, living on ideas, and being surrounded by thought-leaders is every bit as humbling as it is romantic and drive-inspiring. I will strive to keep this perspective and treat everyone as an accomplished classmate, regardless of their background or experience. Good ideas come from everywhere, and there’s no need to get cocky about my own.
5 Reasons Why I Chose to Pursue an MPA over an MBA
May 17, 2010
USC's 2009-2010 Officers of the Graduate Policy and Administration Committee with Associate Dean, Carol Rush
MPAs and MBAs have a lot in common: they are both professional degrees that provide management training by way of economics, policy, statistics, and finance. What made me pick an MPA (Master of Public Administration) over an MBA (Master of Business Administration), you might ask? The MBA is surely a beaten path with many, well known benefits…but considering my interest and passion for museums and nonprofits, an MBA just wasn’t for me. I liked the idea of a professional degree, but an MBA overlooked the defining features in my field of interest. Here’s why I decided to pursue an MPA over an MBA:
1) Museums and nonprofits have harder-to-measure outcomes
A defining characteristic of the nonprofit and public sectors is unmeasurable outcomes because the point of most nonprofits is to fulfill a social mission (nonprofit organizations cannot distribute profits). A powerful business is one that can make the most money (measurable). A powerful nonprofit is one that helps more people, most effectively (not-so-measurable). This does not mean that impact assessments are not critical in the nonprofit world and that they are strongest when they include quantitative data. However, to get an MBA would mean overlooking an opportunity to really think about solving problems of nonprofit outcome measurement and would mean focusing heavily on a monetary bottom-line, which is just not a characteristic of the sector. The MPA focuses on social missions while also emphasizing the skills required to obtain funding for an organization, which is much more relevant to my continuing work with nonprofit organizations.
2) It’s a problem-solving degree- ideal for an evolving sector
If MBA programs study the market, then MPAs try to solve market failures– and there’s an obvious difference between studying and solving. In the former, it’s been figured out, you’re just learning how to do it. In the latter, there’s a large-scale problem to be solved. MBAs are hired to make an individual company more profitable and there are books on this (lots of them!) with clear rules (“buy low, sell high,” “always be closing”). In contrast, MPAs are hired to take action to lead their organizations in making the world a better place… and our literature is not nearly as abundant and the tone is less certain. Our academic journals are filled with what’s happening right now or what’s happened in the past. This is ideal for the nonprofit sector because need and the way people communicate and connect (securing funding, donors, etc) is always evolving. There is certainly no better degree in this case, it’s just based on your goals and interests. Considering my interests, an MPA was the way to go.
3) My utility function includes public service
This is not to say that my utility function– and those of my MPA peers– doesn’t include income at all (or that the utility function of MBA grads never includes public service), but it is to say that public service drives my behavior more than money, and most likely drives the behavior of my classmates as well. It shouldn’t be surprising that nonprofit CEOs don’t make as much money as for-profit CEOs. On top of that, nonprofits are often understaffed and leaders may suffer from serious burnout. So why would us MPAs put ourselves through that? Because we want to make a difference. For some of us (and I’ll blame my background at The University of Chicago for the sincerity of this statement), we want to solve big problems and aren’t afraid of hard things. Some people might hate to look back and say, “I wish I made more money.” I respect that– and to each, his own. But for me, the most heartbreaking thing that I can imagine saying is, “I wish I made a difference for someone,” or “I wish I spent my life doing something I deeply cared about.” The MPA degree helps me build the skills to accomplish the things that I care about.
4) MPAs want to change the world… but we’re not impractical about it
I spend every day with folks who are determined to change the world. Are we starry-eyed and optimistic? Maybe. Too impractical to be effective? Definitely not. These professionals come from top tier institutions, much like the professionals that enter top MBA programs. Moreover, as an MPA, our speakers, mentors, and professors are professionals in policy and the nonprofit sector– rather than bankers and for-profit professionals. If I were to have pursued an MBA, our speakers and mentors would be those who best understand investment banking recruiting and achieving measurable outcomes– which would be much less relevant to me and my interests. Instead, I am surrounded by future foundation CEOs, grant writers, program producers, and nonprofit directors. A frequent happy hour topic for us: how not warm-and-fuzzy it is to work tirelessly for a mission.
5) The future: society’s priorities are placing higher importance on social good.
Signs are pointing toward the need for corporate environments to take on social missions– or at least some corporate social responsibility. Does this mean we might see some MPAs in corporate environments changing up the system in the near future? Perhaps. Consider this: Generation Y, the incoming professional leaders, are said to run on public service motivation. Unlike Generation X, these folks would much rather work for the government than a corporate giant. They want to give back to communities. Moreover, customers are more likely to consume goods that align themselves with some sort of social mission– and communication, transparency, and connection (nonprofit focuses) are beginning to lead corporate environments. In sum, the days of caring primarily about income and individual companies may be coming to a close. In fact, that’s what The Economist predicted for 2010 when they discussed the oncoming decline of the MBA.
When young nonprofit and museum professionals spout their desire to get an MBA because that’s what they think they “should” do, I cringe. There are many incredible reasons to get an MBA and great reasons to get an MPA as well; but I think it’s the responsibility of professional-degree-advocates to know why they are choosing one degree over the other.
Decline of the MBA, Increase in Social Good?
January 5, 2010
In November, The Economist wrote an article predicting the decline of the MBA in 2010. It calls the MBA a mythical cupid attracting the nation’s best and brightest to a less than respectable academic discipline. “The decline of the MBA will cut off the supply of bullshit at its source,” the article reads.
The recession is pin-pointed as the catalyst for this change, as MBA graduates emerge with few opportunities and “nowhere exciting to go” for the second year running. After 2009, the banking rep is not all that it used to be– and five of the top ten best-performing American CEOs in 2009 didn’t have MBAs at all (including number one: Steve Jobs).
Harsh as these assessments may be, the decline of the MBA just makes sense. After all, the world continues to move. For about 20 years in American history, it was good to be a farmer. Then, it was good to work in the automotive industry. Then (and perhaps ending now), it was good to have an MBA. We’re all dreaming bigger, and even this progression outlines the American desire to climb the economic ladder.
So, I’ve been thinking: What if this decline is a good thing? What if it’s one of the best things for social change? I’m not a hater of the MBA. On the contrary, I’ve considered getting one and my own degree is in management. Nonetheless, here are five positive changes that may result as the status of the MBA declines:
1) We’ll need heightened creativity and community engagement in order to succeed.
We’ve learned that you don’t need an MBA to be successful in business. Our nation’s most successful entrepreneurs are known for thinking outside of the box, not for following a hierarchical system. If the MBA is no longer the passport to success, we’ll let our creative juices flow until the next thing arises. Great things could happen. But, as we watch Pepsi step back from fancy Super Bowl commericals in order to engage and support the community, and as the onset of the social media revolution has us building communities online, signs point to a possible continuing increase in community engagement.
2) There will be a re-vamp of the MBA program that may result in an emphasis in social good.
Business schools, like all schools, want to attract students in order to make money and continue growing their programs. If less people are becoming interested in an MBA, the programs will have to evolve in order to meet the changing needs of society (this is much like what is going on right now in museum studies graduate programs). MBA programs may incorporate more classes in law, policy, or social work– whatever it is that is trending and may make them successful. The result? More well-rounded (or perhaps more specialized) MBA candidates. The academic approach involved in the MBA will change– and if they follow current trends in corporate social responsibility and Gen Y’s desire to make a difference, these programs may focus increasingly on social good.
3) More left-brained thinkers will go into socially beneficial occupations.
As the Economist article states, there’s been a glamour associated with majoring in economics or business, and in obtaining an MBA. But with that glamour diminished, left-brained folks may not have such a clear path to success. In short, we may have more left-brained thinkers using their talents to cure cancer rather than trying to make Mr. Moneybags an extra couple thousand dollars on the trading floor (social vs. individual benefit). Also, we could really use more math and science teachers.
4) There will be attention given to other sectors.
Studies have shown that where Generation X dreamed of working for big businesses, members of Generation Y are flocking to Teach for America, the PeaceCorps, and jobs in the public sector. In fact, Generation Y is thought to distrust big businesses and they have been called a generation of civil servants. This fact, combined with the decrease in glamor associated with the MBA, may shift national focus to the many important jobs to be done in the public and nonprofit sectors.
5) A different bottom line may arise (or qualitative outputs will be more easily understood).
I’m not even going to hint that money doesn’t make the world go ’round in many ways but, if there’s an increasing focus on the public sector, there’ll be an increasing focus on program evaluation– and money may not be the most obvious bottom line for the average American. The public and private sector are struggling with regard to measuring social impact, and they are feeling the pressure to measure social benefit in some quantitative way. If there’s a shift toward social good, they’ll be more understanding of public and nonprofit sectors, and this public understanding will allow nonprofits to function more efficiently (it may be socially acceptable to pay nonprofit CEOs competitive salaries without high administration costs preventing them from obtaining grants). In short, the decline of the MBA will change the landscape of the private sector, and the landscape may become more leveled with public and nonprofit sectors. What we know of business– chasing money above all else and using it as the primary bottom line– may be challenged.
*Photo credits: Salvatore Vuono
5 Unexpected Ways in Which Grad School Loans Are Changing My Lifestyle
December 13, 2009
In August, I summoned my life savings, took out a Stafford loan on top of them, and headed back to school to pursue a master’s degree in Public Administration at the University of Southern California. I was prepared for the basics of living on a serious budget: cooking more and eating out less, watching my spending, avoiding shopping centers… but my terror of forever paying off graduate school loans struck me even deeper than I expected.
As I’m reaching to end of my first semester in grad school, I’ve noticed significant (sometimes accidental) changes in my lifestyle that didn’t exist while I was working full-time. While it’s true that I’ve essentially transformed into a metro-riding, hulu-watching, caffeine-deprived vegan, I’m amazed by the overall value of these alterations and how much money I’ve already saved through these good-for-me changes.
1) I’m accidentally vegan.
I didn’t realize that I was essentially vegan until I went home for Thanksgiving. It makes sense, though, when you consider that tofu costs $1.69 and two chicken breasts cost $7.49 (Ian is also lactose-intolerant, which accounts for the lack of dairy). There’s also a lovely little Farmer’s Market in Los Feliz, so I just didn’t notice the lack of meat and the sudden abundance of fresh veggies in my diet.
Here’s why it’s not so bad:
- Younger women who regularly eat red meat face an increased risk for breast cancer.
- Each vegetarian saves more than 100 animals each year from abuse.
- According to the American Dietetic Association, vegetarians are less likely to develop heart disease, cancer, diabetes, or high blood pressure.
- If everyone went vegan, there would be more than enough food to nourish the world’s entire population– as it is, we cannot make enough food.
Here’s what I’m saving (roughly): I simply swapped the price of tofu that I buy in a typical month per ounce ($0.14/ oz; $1.69/12 oz) with the price of chicken breasts per ounce ($0.31/oz; $4.99/lb).
- ADD: amount that would be spent on chicken per month if each ounce of tofu is swapped out for chicken: ($29.76 (0.31 x 16 oz = 29.76)).
- SUBTRACT: amount spent on tofu per month ($13.44 for 96 oz (96 oz/month; 2 packages of 12 oz/ week) $0.14x 96 oz = $13.44)).
- TOTAL: $195.84 per year ($16.32 per month)
2) I’m metro-savvy
It would be a blatant lie to say that it’s easy to live in this city without a car, but I live in a fairly walkable neighborhood, and I’ve grown to appreciate the bus commute. I get all of my work done, and often by the time I get home from class, I can spend the rest of the night enjoying myself. I’ll admit that one of the happiest days of my life will be when busses have wireless internet connections and airplane-style tray tables.
Here’s why it’s not so bad:
- This is prime grad school course reading time for me.
- Taking public transportation is safer than driving.
- Every additional 30 minutes a person spends in a car translates into a 3% greater chance of obesity; each kilometer walked per day brings a 4.8% reduction.
- Public transportation generates 95% less carbon monoxide than private vehicles.
Here’s what I’m saving (roughly): I used Ian’s spending as an outline for calculating this information.
- ADD: car payment ( $250/mo; $3,000/yr) + insurance ($1,000/yr) + gas ($250/mo; $1,440/yr) + parking in apartment building ($40/mo; $480/yr) + on-campus parking ($600/yr; $50/mo)= $6,520
- SUBTRACT: 9 month student bus pass ($324/yr) + 3 month regular bus pass ($228/yr)= $552
- TOTAL: $5,968 per year (which excludes initial cost of buying a car)
3) I gave up cable
The idea of losing HGTV and the Discovery Channel was painful at first (RIP, access to Mythbusters), but I think these savings are worth it. Ian created our new system for watching TV, and he did the math. Check out the link for more detailed information.
Here’s why it’s not so bad:
- Hulu allows me to continue to watch addictive shows.
- I watch much less television. In Seattle, I watched about an hour everyday to wind down after work. Now, I watch about one hour every week.
- When I do watch TV, they are shows that I’m turning on the television in order to see.
- I used to relax by watching TV. I now relax by cooking or reading.
Here’s what I’m saving (roughly):
- ADD: cost of cable. Installation charge ($50) + monthly costs of Netflix, Comcast Cable Internet and Comcast Cable ($1,380 per year; $115/month x 12) = $1,430 per year
- SUBTRACT: cost of current system. Antenna and cables ($72) + costs of Netflix and AT&T DSL Internet ($600/year; $50/month) = $672 per year
- TOTAL: $758 per year
4) I have a job that’s not on my resume
I work 10-12 hours each week at USC’s Roski School of Fine Arts as an assistant for the MFA program. It’s low stress and laid back. While the essence of the job is indeed in line with my interests in arts, culture, and education, there isn’t a great deal of leadership discretion required. This low-key job is not going to be on my resume or my LinkedIn profile, but it’s a nice way to meet new people and make some extra money.
Here’s why it’s not so bad:
- I’m introduced to different organizational cultures outside of my program in the School of Policy, Planning, and Development.
- I meet folks from an entirely different USC grad community, and I work for Rolling Stone’s 2005 “Hot Artist” of the year.
- I get to research current artists and art happenings, which allows me to feel connected to my background in art.
- I make money.
Here’s what I’m saving:
- ADD: I make a total of $3,000 for the 9 months that I am in school.
- TOTAL: $3,000 per year
5) I’m caffeine-free
This was obviously a conscious (and semi-painful) decision. It was a big part of the culture of Seattle to meet friends for coffee (in LA it’s more often meeting for drinks). I was also drinking a few-too-many Diet Cokes everyday. I got horrible headaches when I stopped drinking caffeine, but now I don’t miss it.
Here’s why it’s not so bad:
- Caffeine increases the body’s levels of cortisol, the “stress hormone” that can lead to weight gain, moodiness, heart disease and diabetes.
- I sleep better.
- It’s nice to be chemical-addiction free.
- I don’t need to drink anything to feel like myself in the morning.
Here’s what I’m saving:
- ADD: average amount spent on caffeinated beverages per month before I quit, according to my Wesabe.com account. ($487.20/ year; $40.60/ month)
- TOTAL: $487.20 per year
Projected savings resulting from these lifestyle changes: $10,427.04 per year
It adds up!
Got a Minute? 3 Exercises to Make You a Better Leader
September 18, 2009
image from www.b2binternational.com
The single most frequently discussed concept in my graduate courses thus far is the concept of leadership– positive and effective public leadership, to be (only slightly more) specific. The lessons I’m learning, however, apply to all leaders- regardless of sector.
Good leadership is one of those concepts that, I’ll admit, seems a bit fuzzy. Who doesn’t have ideas about what makes a good leader? Trust, respect, confidence, ethics… The truth is, the concept runs much deeper, and it’s easier to recognize a good leader than it is to describe how to be one– especially in a public management role in which leaders must effectively be both creatures and creators of their work environments.
In an effort spread the wealth and celebrate individual leadership, I’d like to share three incredibly useful exercises that I’ve learned in my first three weeks in graduate school. All three exercises helped me to identify my goals and values so that I may serve as an effective lifelong leader.
1. Write a Personal Mission Statement
This is not a new exercise, but it’s an important one. Writing a personal mission statement requires thinking about your personal goals and desires. This is very different from an elevator speech; a personal mission statement is about you and your own values as they relate to your desired long-term career (not necessarily the job you’re currently in). Though I’ve found it particularly beneficial to have this articulation of my interest in achieving my career goals, personal mission statements are for the creator alone. They don’t need to be professional, and you don’t need to share your personal mission statement if you wouldn’t like to do so. Writing a personal mission statement will help you to focus on your goals and priorities.
- Exercise: Mission statements generally describe the purpose of an institution or, in our case, an individual. Get out a scratch piece of paper and start drafting your own personal mission statement. Here are a few great questions to ask yourself before writing your mission statement. Having trouble getting started? Check out this website.
2. Identify your Core Values
Professor Richard F. Callahan introduced this exercise at a recent Graduate Policy Administration Committee Strategic Planning Meeting. It’s a simple exercise with a big personal impact. Since completing this short task, I’ve reflected on my core values daily and I am much more aware of my decisions to adhere to them.
- Exercise: Make a list of all of the core values that you can imagine. These are usually one-word values such as respect, integrity, loyalty, commitment, service, contribution, generosity, etc. You may be well acquainted with the concept of core values, as many organizations and corporations are very straightforward with their core values and often frame the words in conference rooms or list them at the top of meeting agendas. Once you’ve come up with a nice, long list of core values, pick three (and only three) that you feel illustrate your own personal core values.
3. Understand your Unenforceables
I was lucky enough to attend a talk presented by the incredible Bob Stone earlier this week within USC’s School of Policy, Planning and Development, and it proved to be the best lesson on leadership that I’ve had the opportunity to come across. This great civil servant was bursting with personal anecdotes and life lessons. Among them was the lesson to understand your own unenforceables. What are those, you ask? In 1924, John Fletcher Moulton identified three realms of human behavior: (1) Free will. (2) Obedience to the enforceable. (3) Obedience to the unenforceable. Obedience to the enforceable is synonymous with obedience to the law. Obedience to the unenforceable is obedience to our own personal values and the ethics which shape our decisions as leaders.
- Exercise: Identify 10 of your own unspoken “laws” to which you adhere for your own reasons. Perhaps they are based on life experiences or values that were instilled within you by your parents. Some examples of personal unenforceables might be “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” or “play by the rules.” Others may be, “speak knowledge to power,” “a friend in need is a friend, indeed,” or “it’s what’s inside that counts.” No matter what your governing principles are, write them down. Getting your own framework of values out on paper will give you insight into your own leadership style. We have a good sense of governmental laws, but it’s even more important to have a sense of your own unspoken laws by which you live your life and make decisions.
5 Reasons to be Proud That You Majored in English
August 21, 2009
I’ve always been baffled about why the English major gets such a bad rep. Perhaps this is because it’s an open-ended degree that requires the recipient to ask him or herself, “what would I like to do with these skills I have acquired?” rather than existing as a degree with a built-in career path like marketing, finance, or real estate. 
If you majored in English in college like I did, then you’re probably used to people asking you if you want to be a teacher… all of the time. While some English majors follow their own individual desire to work in education, teaching in secondary schools is actually only the third highest occupational field that employs individuals with only a B.A. in English. The first? They are artists, broadcasters, writers, entertainers, and public relations specialists. The second? They are top and mid-level managers, executives and administrators. As I mentioned, teaching in secondary schools is the third occupational field shown on the list (and all teaching combined is only a bit more than one out of every ten English majors). Despite all of the occupations listed here, I’ve still heard time and again that there isn’t much that one can do with an English major.
Are these people crazy?!
For all of my Oscar-Wilde-reading, Shakespeare-reciting, Plato-referencing, journal-scribbling, fellow English majors out there in the professional world, here are 5 reasons why you can be proud that you received your undergraduate degree in English:
1. You are a good writer.
Being a good writer is one of the top ten most important skills that job candidates are encouraged to have in order to be competitive in the job market. Companies are looking for good writers, and there’s no question that English majors heading out into the workforce have this skill in the bag. It’s nearly impossible to succeed as an English major without being a good writer. Moreover, students choosing this major probably really like writing. When you like something, you do it more often and the more you do something, the better you become.
2. You are an effective communicator
English majors tend to be overall successful communicators, which is why it makes sense that so many of us go on to work in media and communication. The major provides individuals with the critical thinking and public speaking skills required to excel in these positions. Even if you aren’t planning to work in communications, the argument has been made that oral communication competency is the most important skill for business students in the workplace. It may also go without saying that having keen communication skills is absolutely necessary in order to be a good manager in the workforce.
3. You are capable of processing complex ideas
English majors are well practiced in uncovering themes and complex ideas in texts. The kind of thinking that accompanies studying humanities grapples with both big ideas and details. Businesses and hiring managers acknowledge the benefits of this type of thinking. Ernest Suarez, professor and chairman of the English department at The Catholic University of America states in this article that, “Businesses tell us they like to hire English majors because they feel that they can think. They’ve got the writing and analytical skills they need. The rest they can be trained to learn. “
4. You understand people and are able to connect with them
We generally got to read a lot of fiction as English majors, which may have had a positive impact on our ability to connect with people. A study by the Journal of Research in Personality uncovered that frequent readers of narrative fiction score highly on tests of empathy and social acumen. Another study finds that people who read narrative fiction stories score higher on tests involving social reasoning skills than those who are assigned to read a non-fiction essay from the same magazine. This article sums it up, describing English majors as “outgoing, community-spirited individuals who strive to understand culture, society and human interactions.”
5. You are a philosopher, artist, editor, historian, and a provider-of-content.
I’ve based this last point off of a great blog post by Alex J. Tunny called, “In Defense of the English Major.” The wide array of texts that we study as English majors have introduced us to the traditions, values, and methods of thinking from various cultures and points in history. As general Jacks-of-all-Trades, we tend to know a thing or two about several different subjects. Check out this list of famous English majors. You may be surprised by the diversity of the career paths of the folks on this list. If you are an English major, though, you probably won’t be too surprised.
A Bachelor of Arts in English is an open-ended degree providing versatility that might scare folks who are hesitant to pave their own career paths. For those who are willing to take matters into their own hands, though, an English major provides students with skills that are critical in the workplace. Let’s continue to be proud of the skill set that we’ve acquired and keep proving to skeptical folks that English majors have the ability to succeed and excel both inside of the classroom and in the working world.
Where are Museum Studies Graduate Programs Going Wrong?
August 12, 2009
Photo from success.co.il
Recently, I’ve come across several interesting blog posts about museology/museum studies graduate programs and everything that is going wrong or working against these graduates: they aren’t getting hired, the field is changing, and museum professionals feel like they are working for too little money. You might be thinking that these are problems that many graduates in the country are facing right now, regardless of industry. That’s what I’m thinking, too. But here’s what I find interesting: for one reason or another, significant blame is being placed on the museum studies programs themselves.
And maybe it is a problem with the current programs. After all, this post about the future of museums, by (none other than) the Center for the Future of Museums, even goes so far as to suggest an interesting and alarming solution for current problems facing the museum industry right now: Stop hiring museum studies graduates.
What’s the basis of this disconnect between museum studies programs and museums? How can these graduate programs be changed to improve the attitudes of graduates and help set more realistic expectations? Admittedly, reading up on the field does leave a museum professional (albeit not enrolled in a Museum Studies graduate program) agreeing that some things may need to be changed.
I’ve fallen madly in love with the thought-provoking ideas brought up in this post by New Curator wherein Pete (the author) serves as a strong advocate fighting for the success of recent museum studies graduates. The post contains a lot of great ideas, and triggered dialogue which has spun off into even more great ideas about ways to improve programs. I think the post is most interesting, though, because it offers a peek into the mindset of these none-too-pleased (and apparently none-too-employed) museum studies graduates.
I want join this discussion by throwing a few more ideas into the mix:
- Perhaps a degree in Museum Studies is something in between a professional and an academic degree, and museum professionals have trouble measuring it against other areas of study
There seems to be some confusion about a master’s degree in museum studies being considered an academic degree or a professional degree– that is, does the degree provide knowledge on academic topics, or is it a degree of the professional development sort? New Curator makes it clear that a master’s degree in museum studies was—and perhaps still is– considered a professional degree by those who chose/choose to enroll in these programs.. and it appears that in museum environments, professional and academic degree recipients are competing for the same jobs. Pete writes, “I’ve read a few things about the skepticism around academia as work training. My Christ, who let in all these Art History and Archaeology PHDs? They’re practically *running* the place and now there’s the hint that a Museum Studies qualification is unnecessary?” I cannot tell if this means that PhDs are running the museum studies programs or running the museums… but the statement, either way, indicates that PhDs are doing something that is valued by the museums.
Maybe the degree is something strangely in between an academic PhD in Art History and a professional M.B.A/ M.P.A. Perhaps Pete is onto something when he writes, “The one thing these people [students in museum studies] are being trained in are now possibly not trained? Or not trained enough, as I notice in another comment that museums are made up of too many specialisms.” This could be the problem, in a sense. Museum studies programs may be both too specialized and not specialized enough. These graduates are competing for museum jobs with other program graduates whose degrees are undoubtedly academic/specialized (anthropology, art history, paleontology) and undoubtedly professional (business management, public policy). While academic degrees prepare candidates for curating positions, professional degrees prepare candidates for museum management. Then the question becomes does museology study the management or the content of museums? The degree’s position in the middle of these worlds can be seen as either awkward or as advantageous. Museum studies programs should play this as an advantage. It won’t be easy (there seem to be far more graduates with degrees on ends of the spectrum), but it may be worth it… and it may create a positive change for program graduates.
- Unemployment is not unique to museum studies graduates right now, and placing graduates in full-time jobs is a difficulty that graduate programs of all varieties are facing
Museum studies graduates seem to be frustrated about their inability to get museum jobs, despite the fact that their education has groomed them to take on valuable roles within these environments. Pete writes, “The bitter taste in the museum student’s mouth was that what they thought was professional development is now considered almost useless to their future compared to the gamble of the job market or the gamble of obtaining a useful contact.” He goes onto say, “Of course, it’s criminal to take their money, hand them a piece of paper and wish them luck with a handshake. Too many graduates from the full taxonomy of museum studies courses are having to compete in the job market lottery. And it is a lottery. The most basic entry-level positions into the museum world are now getting TONS of applicants. This is a sad state of affairs.”
But this is happening everywhere. Some nonprofit organizations have seen a 1600% jump in applicants in this year alone because of the economy. Financial firms have even spotted increased occurrences of applicants spouting lies on their resume in order to stand out from the still-growing crowd. It’s rough out there right now; it’s rough for all of us.
Moreover, shouldn’t a well qualified and passionate museum studies grad/museum job candidate be excited that more people are looking to spread the missions of museums? Don’t we evolve by integrating new people and new ideas? Though I’m specializing in nonprofit management, I’m always thrilled to learn of corporate leaders making the switch to the nonprofit world! As museums are more and more becoming places for community engagement, doesn’t the argument that museums should only be hiring those with formal training in museum studies seem unnecessarily polarizing between the academic world and the public sphere? Museums need to be able to relate to the community; they need to employ diversity. The Center for the Future of Museums has a good bit about it in the previously mentioned article.
“You want to have an excellent Museum Studies program? Guarantee jobs.” Yes. If every graduate is guaranteed a job, then that program is producing exceptionally creative industry leaders, and everyone might consider enrolling in this miracle program, perhaps even making all other graduate and professional degrees obsolete. I agree with The Center for the Future of Museums in their most recent post: this kind of thinking is less about museum studies programs specifically, and more about a certain conception of or assumption about the U.S. Education system.
Many people might let out a laugh if someone claimed that it was the duty of the institution to make all business degree recipients into CEOs. While that may be the ultimate goal of someone getting their M.B.A. is it the responsibility of the institution to take them all the way there? No. The candidate must display ambition, creative thinking, and nurture experience. Getting a food handler’s permit gives you the opportunity to handle food– not the right to handle it. Degrees do not entitle you to anything. You have to do some work to get there. I like this post on the topic. And a typical museum studies graduate doesn’t seem so angry.
I am delighted by the creative ideas that have come from this discussion. New Curator has great ideas for recruitment, such as turning museum studies programs into headhunters and establishing a “museum milkround.” Some are even talking about museum workers unionizing.
- Maybe the answer involves evolving to meet the changing needs of the community.
This argument traces to the basis for the Center for the Future of Museum’s potential solution to stop hiring museum studies grads. The article begins by discussing the need for diversity within museum studies programs. The post goes on to say, “We are entering an age in which people don’t just want to be lectured to by experts, they want to contribute and curate their own content. In this environment, curators may evolve from being lecturers and authors to being moderators of discussions and editors of content. This requires a different set of soft skills, and calls for a different set of training. Is this something that can be provided at the graduate level in an academic environment, or is it best learned (and consciously taught) on the job? “
These are great thoughts. From focusing on soft skills, incorporating social media in the professional development of museum studies students, and creating/ maintaining strong partnerships with institutions, these programs should be preparing for the future and living in the now.
- Consider wages in regard to the nonprofit environment in which you are working.
I’m not sure how closely museum studies graduates study other kinds of nonprofit and community organizations/ institutions, but the notion that museum studies grads are surprised to learn that they might not be paid much shocked me. I don’t buy it. And if it is true that there’s significant surprise here, I think a simple and positive change-of-mentality might be a solution: Don’t work in a museum for the money. Work in a museum for the mission.
Many museums are public or independent nonprofit organizations, and nonprofit organizations are actively trying to deal with the issue of low wages– especially in regard to some of the newest grads– members of Generation Y, a generation that values work/life balance and often values time and mission over money.
On the issue of wages, New Curator writes that museum studies grads’ work is “something just above slavery. Work hard for an indeterminate amount of time and maybe the industry will maybe reward you. The current model for improving museums through new blood is the same as parents controlling children with Santa.” But wasn’t all of the old blood new blood at one point? And if you’re doing something you love, isn’t it a little bit more worth it?
I’m glad to see the ongoing dialogue about the profession, the industry, and the programs. I’m thrilled to have this peek into the concerns of recent grads and potential museum studies students. I have no doubt that these conversations will lead to an improvement. After all, according to Thomas Edison:
Restlessness and discontent are the first necessities of progress.”
My graduate school application process is over. The tests are long since taken, applications long since sent out, my program selected, and my financial aid secured. I’ve relocated to my new city and I begin student orientation next week.
It’s no surprise that applying to graduate school is a long process, and it involves a lot of big decisions. Should I go back to school? When? What kind of degree should I pursue? Location, costs, funding, rankings, requirements, curriculum– these are all important things to consider when applying to and choosing a graduate school. For a self-starting individual with a keen sense of her professional needs, though, these should be easy questions to answer, right? Well, no. They weren’t.
Here’s insight into the road I traveled during my graduate school application process–the decisions and ideas that stopped me dead in my tracks, challenged my personal and professional goals, and paved the way into a new chapter in my life.
I’ll begin with possibly the most important decision of all:
1) Decide if you want to go to graduate school or not.
Because I’d long since realized that I’d like to go back to school– and for good reasons– this decision didn’t cause me much strife during the application process. My words of wisdom? Just make sure you aren’t thinking about going back to school for the wrong reasons.
The initial kicker for me, aside from wanting to soak up resourceful ideas and be immersed in this specialized community, was the fact that every single higher-level position opening of interest to me required a masters degree or above. I work in nonprofit organizations– museums, mostly– and these environments value education (though I wouldn’t go as far as to argue that one absolutely needs an advanced degree to be a leader in this industry). Whether or not you decide to pursue an advanced degree is entirely up to you. There are several reasons to go back to school, to wait, or not go back at all.
2) Pick a degree.
The fact that this is a staggeringly obvious step in the application process did not make this decision easier for me. Why wasn’t it easy? Because success doesn’t have only one concrete path (and in my opinion, it’s a good thing it doesn’t or we’d have very several similar and rather boring leaders). I knew what I wanted to do long term, I just wasn’t sure how to get there in terms of a graduate degree.
I picked my degree very shortly after deciding that I wanted to go back to school. I strongly considered degrees in public affairs, museum studies, art administration, or even pursuing an MBA. Though, admittedly, museum studies and art administration were initially sexier areas of study for me, I picked public affairs for a few (in my opinion) very good reasons which relate to my own professional goals (which I will significantly over-simplify here). First, I know much more about museums and art administration than I do about public affairs, and public affairs– providing specializations in nonprofit management– would provide me with the skills and government knowledge required to lead public institutions- regardless of if they are science museums or art centers. Second, a Master of Public Administration is considered an advanced professional degree rather than an academic masters degree. And according to this article, the type of degree really does make a difference in compensation over a lifetime. It states that an individual earning a professional degree can expect an average of 4.4 million dollars in his or her lifetime, more than any other type of degree (more than a doctorate)! Could an M.P.A. recipient–with that “P” standing for Public (as in, the public sector) really be comparable in income to the degree’s private sector counterpart– the M.B.A recipient (which is considered a similar type of professional degree)? No. It’s not as comparable as the article suggests. In fact, the average for-profit CEO makes 27 times more money than the average nonprofit CEO. All the same, the more research I did, the more I realized which program was right for my interest in public institutions.
3) Choose programs that fit your needs and apply.
Understandably, the first step in going about this is deciding what your practical needs are and what interests you most about your general degree program. For some people, location is very important because they don’t want to relocate. For others, the ability to have part-time status is important because they’ll be maintaining a full-time job. As a potential full-time student, I cared most about two things: quality of the program and proximity to several high-quality cultural centers.
Identifying these two priorities helped me through the program-weeding and decision-making process, but with so many other factors to consider, they certainly didn’t make the process easy. Remaining true to my desire to attend a high quality program, I studied up on and applied to seven of the top schools on the first page of this list that matched my interests, met my needs, and would be ideal programs for me. I don’t think that rankings are by any means the only important factor in choosing a graduate school. What I mean to say, rather, is that I knew what was important to me and this list provided the framework for who to contact and where to look in order to find an institution that fit my needs. There were several things that contributed to my final decision, but this more specialized list ended up playing a role in the end because I found that after I had narrowed my options to my four favorites, only one of the four was on this list. I choose that school. Lesson: in the end, I reverted back to my initial needs/priorities to make the big decision.
4) Consider location.
Where’s the mecca for your industry, and are you considering relocating to a school in this area? By far the hardest decision that I had to make was choosing between going to graduate school in Washington D.C. or Los Angeles. I was considering L.A. because the programs at USC and UCLA matched my interests and background more closely than similar programs in D.C. So what was the problem? D.C. is a hot-spot of nonprofit activity, and some of my favorite young nonprofit leaders live in this city. Moreover, six of America’s 25 most visited museums– including the top three most visited museums in the country– are in DC. What’s a concerned applicant to do? Do I choose the higher-ranked program with the connections or the city with the connections? Because the museums in L.A. are simply one-of-a-kind, and there’s no denying that there are several kick-butt institutions in D.C, it was a tough choice.
5) Now think about location again.
I had to think about location twice. Once in the decision-making process and again while preparing to take action on my decision. Regardless of where you choose to go, you’ll have to think about how it’s different than the city in which you currently live. I spent the last two years as an advocate of green practices (read: walking) in the not-as-diverse-as-L.A. city of Seattle. I didn’t need a car, and my five years of Spanish speaking skills were slipping away. Embarrassingly, it was not until I moved to Los Angeles that I realized the full extent to which I need a mode of transportation and how much more beneficial I can be to the community if I brush up on my Spanish (seeing as I’m interested in community engagement and would like to participate in a hands-on capacity). Though I wouldn’t have done anything differently, these realizations provided interesting, “Oh yeah, that’s right…” moments in my first few weeks in my new city.
6) Understand that your position within the industry will be different when you’re in school.
Even without having started school, I’ve already learned that my position within the industry is different than it was before I left my full-time job. I was scared of losing my career title, too. Perhaps it was just natural human loss aversion at play. All of my networks now read “student” and it’s a strange adjustment. But to be honest, it’s nice to have a time period in my adult career where I can reflect upon the workings of the industry as a whole. I feel like I’ve gone from artist to art critic. Even in this simple mind-adjustment, I’ve learned quite a bit.
7) Decide how you’ll stay involved in your industry while enrolled in your program.
This makes the list because, as an applicant and now a new student, this is always on my mind. Experience is one of the most important things in a job applicant. Here are ten ways to become a better nonprofit leader, and most of these items can be done by a full-time student in order to remain involved in the industry at large while in school. This is not to mention all of the great communities and organizations that graduate school offers. I haven’t begun school yet and already I’ve been contacted by several university-run organizations within my field of interest. As a full-time student, I may only have about 30 hours a week to work or volunteer. I refuse to let this fact hinder my involvement with the museum community within Los Angeles. I’ll keep you posted on these developments. Also, I’d love to learn your methods for staying on top of your game while in school.
There are a lot of other interesting things to learn from applying to grad school and in preparing for classes. Relearning math for the GREs, tracking several programs at once, talking to recent program graduates, weighing financial aid packages (heck, just applying for financial aid packages) leaving an incredible full-time job, and moving out of a great city were all formative experiences for me.
I’m curious to know if your experiences are/were similar and what advice you would share with individuals currently taking part in the application process. Despite being hammered into the minds of potential applicants, I think this complicated process of life choices must be different for everyone.
I work with zoos, aquariums, and museums in the realm of audience engagement using social technology. I specialize in creative community involvement, new media, nonprofit sector evolution, and the role of Generation Y in the workplace. Learn more about me 
