This is the fourth post of a five part series in celebration of the Master of Museum Studies program at the University of Toronto's 50th anniversary (MMSt50). To reflect on Musings' past, present, and future, we invited all previous Editors-in-Chief to return to Musings to write special Letter from the Editor posts. These articles will highlight the significance of Musings both within the MMSt program, and for writers' professional careers. Serena Ypelaar was the fourth Editor-in-Chief of Musings from 2017-2018.
Was I nervous to put myself out there in a leadership role? You bet. Did I do it anyway? Yes, and I sure am glad I did.
Why had I considered the Editor-in-Chief role a risk? Namely because it involved leaving my comfort zone in a big way. It was a huge responsibility but also the most beautiful challenge. Stepping outside the comfortable and trying to take Musings new places – this was how I spent much of my second year (2017/2018) in the MMSt program, resulting in irreplaceable experiences, friendships, and memories.
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| Contributing Editor Julia Zungri [Left] and 2017/2018 Editor-in-Chief Serena Ypelaar [Right]. Photo courtesy of Serena Ypelaar/Musings. |
I felt drawn to the role thanks to my deep love of writing and a strong sense of excitement. Some of my priorities as Editor-in-Chief were to broaden Musings’ community presence and connect more with audiences; increase inclusivity and further question the “status quo” of museums; and create a unified editorial structure that allowed for multiple rounds of edits and collaboration between team members. I was blessed with a talented and wonderful colleague in the role of Musings Administrator, Amy Intrator (one of Musings’ current Editors-in-Chief alongside She’s My Muse superstar Kathleen Lew), and we got a lot done!
Armed with a new social media strategy and revamped Instagram presence, we were able to connect with more institutions across digital networks. One of the most enjoyable promotional campaigns I ran involved sending personalized messages to museums across Canada to introduce their staff to Musings, encourage them to read and engage with our content, and propose possible collaborations. The goal was to expand our network; we received encouraging responses from professionals who were interested, as well as MMSt alumni who were happy for the chance to reconnect. This outreach project was experimental at best, but putting myself and the blog out there was beyond rewarding when I realized how many relationships we could create and nurture.
Risk reared its head yet again in February 2018, when I moderated MUSSA’s first major panel at the iSchool, Women in Leadership: Challenges, Successes, and the Future. It was terrifying, and I was extremely nervous to host a discussion with four accomplished museum leaders in front of a crowd, but I’m so happy I put my trepidation aside. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have had the valuable opportunity to learn from inspiring women leading museums and expand Musings’ visibility further beyond the walls of the Bissell Building.
Musings returned to the iSchool Conference in March, this time to discuss digital relevance. In a panel comprising Contributing Editors Emily Welsh, Sadie MacDonald, Kathleen Lew, Amy Intrator, and myself, we spoke about current events, commemoration, social media presence, and difficult legacies. We wanted to face up to some of the toughest topics to anchor Musings in timely and necessary museological dialogues, and we published a paper in the iJournal to that end.
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| Our panel at the iSchool Conference! Photo courtesy of Nicholas Ypelaar. |
Blogging was second nature by the time my term ended, so I decided to ride the wave and start a new blog of my own, The Mindful Rambler. The team and I (including MMSt/Musings alumni) discuss interpretation/storytelling with a focus on history, literature, art, and biography. My time at Musings is the reason the blog exists at all; I still love writing articles that (hopefully) provoke thought, and I’m always trying to learn new things.
Musings has given me so much insight into cultural institutions, writing, and partnerships. Working at the Inuit Art Foundation, I’ve used that knowledge to collaborate with galleries and host Edit-a-Thons for the Inuit Art Quarterly Profiles, an online resource featuring Inuit artists from across Canada. Focusing on community events and digital education, I’m often reminded that collaboration is integral to success: Musings itself is built on collaboration. If you’ve been involved in any way, thank you.
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| Part of the Musings 2017/2018 team. Back [from left]: Emily Welsh, Julia Zungri, Kristen McLaughlin, Katlyn Wooder, Kathleen Lew, Amy Intrator. Front [from left]: Jennifer Lee, Leore Zecharia, Sadie MacDonald, Serena Ypelaar. Photo courtesy of Serena Ypelaar/Musings. |
Leading Musings was unlike anything I’ve ever done. It was also a fulfilling creative opportunity. Change is scary. Risk is scary. But only by taking calculated risks can we reap the rewards, a lesson I plan to take with me throughout my career.
As a team effort, Musings is a testament to collaboration in the Master of Museum Studies program, now 50 years old. I absolutely loved working with my colleagues, the Contributing Editors who make Musings great. Congratulations Jaime, Madeline, Natania, Kathleen, and Amy! The Editor-in-Chief legacy is truly unique, and I feel incredibly honoured to be counted among the ranks with you all.
Happy 5th birthday, Musings! Here’s to many more.
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