WE ARE DONE!!!

 Today was our poster session! We are finally all done with thesis and it feels like such a weight off my back. Explaining my thesis in under 5 minutes was definitely a challenge because I wanted to just hand out copies of my thesis so I didn't miss anything. It was so cool seeing everyone else's posters that we gave peer feedback on and everyone else in our cohort we didn't work with. I had so many friends and family come which made me feel so supported. Lots of professors I had over the years also came to see my poster which made me feel proud. My voice is hoarse but my heart is full! I am so proud of myself and everyone else too! WE DID IT!!!

Across the Finish Line

 I don't think it has registered yet that I'm actually finished. Thesis? Check. Poster? Check. Online exhibit? Check. It sounds so simple written out like but what a crazy time getting to this point! 

Last semester in MUSE 489 I had such a hard time. Nothing felt right. None of my ideas felt like "me". So the last week of classes I completely changed my thesis. It felt slightly insane at the time but what a great decision. This thesis project focused on what brought me to the museum studies program in the first place. Objects, and the stories they tell, has always been a bit of an obsession. From growing up in my grandparents antique store, to having parents who collected just about everything, to my favorite museum experiences. I love how objects can connect us to the past. Not sure why it didn't click earlier than the last week of classes last semester but here we are.

I completed all ten case studies that I set out to do. I feel so connected to the people that owned these objects and the world they lived in. I'm hoping others feel the same after viewing my online exhibit.

www.10objects.com

Check it out. I'm pretty pleased with it. It was my first time using WordPress but after the initial learning curve I'm happy with the results.

At Journey's End... and What a Trip it has Been!

 

Welcome to my last MUSE-490 Blog post. 

Tomorrow is the COLA Undergraduate Capstone Conference, and there I will fulfill the last of my requirements for completion of a Bachelor of Science degree in Museum Studies. 

So, true to form what am I stressing about? What to wear HAHA! 

When I submitted the final version of my thesis, I [no kidding] had Aaron Copeland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man” blasting in my head. When I saw “Submission successful,” a lump suddenly appeared in my throat and my eyes stung, and I was overcome with emotion. Thankfully, I was home so only Jonesy the cat witnessed my weepy moment. 

I started thinking about “What’s Next,” and was momentarily overwhelmed. I sincerely want to see this book come into being – this thesis and accompanying poster session are really just the stepping stone to a potentially huge and daunting undertaking. Not unlike graduation… the book was an intangible, off in the distance, “later,” thing. After 7 years, graduation is happening in 11 days… and that “later” is drawing nearer. 

I’m going to allow myself a break. I’m going to allow myself to walk my talk, and practice the experiential birding mentality I’ve promoted in my thesis. I’m going to catch my breath, stretch my legs, and allow myself to “be,” as much as working 2 jobs and house hunting will allow me to, anyway. I’m going to recharge, refocus, and regroup, and in late May/early June I’ll start the next leg of this journey. 

Unlike many of my fellow graduates, I’m not going anywhere. I’m not going on to a new job, or graduate school, or an internship, or traveling. On Saturday I graduate, on Sunday I work at The Bird House, and on Monday I go back to work at RIT. But like my fellow graduates, that Saturday morning will bring with it a deep and profound change in self. Completing a degree is no mean feat; it doesn’t matter if you’re taking classes full time or working full time and taking the occasional 1 or 2 classes when you can. Achieving an academic milestone takes work, perseverance, dedication, and infinite patience with oneself. 

I am proud of what I’ve accomplished. I am proud of this journey I chose for myself. I am proud of my fellow MUSE graduates and can’t wait to see what amazing things they’re going bring to the world, to the community, and to the Arts, History, Culture, and Society. And hey, if it just so happens that someday someone catches sight of a bird, smiles, and has a moment of “I wonder…” then I can happily say Mission Accomplished.

On to the Next Adventure!

 With my final draft signed and buttoned up, and our poster presentations tomorrow, this really is the end of my senior thesis journey! To think that I picked my topic, quite literally, by spinning a wheel of potential ideas, and it has since turned into a fully realized, 40-something page thesis. I've always had confidence in my writing, but doing this has taught me so much more --- how passion and academics can intersect to create wonderful things, how creating such a lengthy paper takes both organization and grit, and how hard work pays off in the end!

I'd like to take a moment to thank Dr. Brown, Dr. Decker, and professor Doherty for their continued feedback, guidance, and suggestions on this paper, as well as, of course, my friends for their unwavering support! Rest assured, we are already planning for this year's PA Ren Faire... exciting days lie ahead!

This is it.

 This past week I officially turned in my final paper as well as my finished poster related to this thesis. It has not quite set in that in 18 days I will walk the stage and receive my diploma. I think this feeling is because I have been working towards this goal most of my life, and now that is here I am thinking to myself, what comes next. I am relieved to have gotten this far and can now relax a bit as we coast into finals week and our poster presentation session. I truly enjoyed my time here are RIT and cannot wait to see what everyone accomplishes in the future. 

Officially Crossed the Finish Line!

 We're officially here! I absolutely cannot believe that I did this. I am so proud of myself and all of my accomplishments that I have been able to make this year. It is truly an honor to be able to graduate from this program. I have learned so much here at my RIT, and I am excited to apply all that I have learned to my professional life. I have gone through a lot of big changes while here at RIT, and I've learned a lot about myself, and all for the better. I am greatly looking forward to presenting my poster at the poster session, and finally getting to walk across a stage for graduation for the first time of my life. Thank you to all of my incredible professors and mentors that I have in my time here at RIT. Getting to work with you all was truly an honor. 

It's Actually Done!

It seems surreal that my thesis is finally capital-F Finished. The waiting period between the final draft and approval was a strange limbo of simultaneous relief and anxiety. Being able to turn my attention to my other classes, the end of the semester seemed suddenly so much closer. I have so little left to do and it's bittersweet, but I'm glad to be moving on to the next chapter of my life. I am satisfied with the work I have done on my thesis. While there is so much more in my mind that I wish I could have explored, for my Bachelor's thesis I feel I have contributed my share for now. Going on to graduate school, I am excited to do more research and hopefully lay down roots where I plan to start my career.

It always seems impossible until it's done.

Hello, and welcome back to the final update on my thesis. Since my last update, I have submitted my final draft and finished my research poster, which is ready to print. First, I want to thank you for all the guidance and support Dr. Newman and Dr. Decker provided while developing my exhibition and thesis journey. Their expertise and insightful feedback were invaluable to my research and writing process. 

If you are attending the research poster session, feel free to track me down and ask anything and everything about my project, exhibit, or collection. I will be more than happy to talk with you all.

Finally, I will leave you all with one final poster that I feel genuinely encapsulates my feelings about finishing my thesis project.

Thank you all again, 

James Falotico signing off

T-Minus... 18 Days!

I have officially submitted my poster and final thesis! I feel really happy to be finally done and have crossed this finish line. I am looking forward to the poster session next week where I will be dressed in my best pink and green dress to celebrate "the bloom!" Funny enough, next weekend, May 3-5, is the final weekend of the festival when all of my favorite events take place. I am looking forward to seeing my hometown's social media posts and friends post their experiences and the events they particpate in this year! Almost there! 

Officially Done!

 I just submitted my approved paper and poster, so I am officially done with my thesis! This whole process has been such a wonderful learning experience for me, and I feel like my writing and researching skills have improved so much. I honestly am almost going to miss it- I feel like there is so much more research to do! However, I am really proud and happy that I have finished it. 

April Showers... We're Almost There!

 I have been working in overdrive the last couple weeks. Prior to spring break, I was having major writer's block, but have successfully been working through that mroe recently. When I met with my readers in March, I walked away with a very do-able list of things to add, take away, and revise as I finished writing. I feel like I have been successful with most of those to-dos, and am still working my way through others. I have added a really great section on my interview with Larry Omps, former mayor of Winchester, VA to my methodology that I feel encompasses the conversation and feelings we share about Apple Blossom. I have had to learn new ways of footnoting objects within a given collection, which is great for my writing now and in the future. With one weke left, I have three things left on my to-do list! I am excited to be almost to the finish line!

April Showers Bring... a Finished Thesis?!?!

My thesis is coming along about as good as it could be, with one glaring exception... that it isn't done yet! With one week until our full papers are due, it's time to hunker down and make the last few additions before we enter the final edit stage. The document itself is getting to the length that my computer takes a minute to open it, which is probably a sign that I should wrap things up 😅

Since we didn't hold a formal topic defense in the fall, I am looking forward to poster presentations. Presenting our work to faculty and friends after two semesters of effort is, to me, the finish line --- after that, all that will be left to do is walk across the stage and get my diploma!

As spring... springs, more and more Renn Faires are opening their doors (and/or websites) for summer ticket sales! Sadly, the paltry salary of a college student has once again prevented me from purchasing a season-long ticket, but regardless of that, I think it'll be another great year in the world of the (fake but still wonderful) Renaissance! 🌞

The Finish Line is Within my Grasp!

  Hello, and welcome back to another update on my thesis and project. Since my last update, I have met with my first reader to get his feedback, and together, we have paved the way for finishing my thesis by the deadline. So far the current timeline is looking like this: 

1. Move my content around. 

2. Rebuild my literature review to analyze the works of Keegan, Fussell, and McMillan.

3. In the 70s section, discuss the propaganda poster auctions.

4. Finish the analysis of the visitor data and conclude my paper 

5. Create a table of contents 

6. Format my thesis so it perfectly mirror/s the thesis examples and is up to the museum studies standard. 

As of today, I have rebuilt parts of my literature review, including Keegan, Fussell, and McMillan, and am moving forward to discussing the poster auctions in the 70s. I would like to finally thank everyone who has helped me with my thesis up to this point, and I look forward to turning in my paper next Tuesday!

   

Almost done!

‎So very close! I just need to finish up a couple of portions of case studies and edit my conclusion. I do still need to pop in my photos, but they are all set and ready to go in. I have a strict day by day calendar I am following to get everything finished in time and have built in time for little things that might pop up. I have a WordPress exhibit in progress that should be finished by the time I turn in my thesis. Once this gets turned in on the 9th, I will focus on my poster which is coming along and will be turned in on the 16th. Yay!!

Thirty-Thirty-Thirty-Nine Days to go. I Wanna Be Graduated!*

*With all due respect and apologies to the Ramones... I couldn't resist 😇

For those keeping score at home: 

Final final draft of the Thesis is due in 21 days.

Presentation of our research and findings at the Undergraduate Symposium is in 30 days. 

Commencement is in 39 days. 

Once upon a time, when I started this journey nearly 7 years ago, Commencement seemed so far away... this magical, mystical "someday." Now "someday" is "39 days" away. 

Status update: 

• The Poster for the Symposium is done. I sent it to Amy for comments or feedback, but as yet haven't heard anything. I've been assured that it is still ready for presentation as is, so that's basically done. ✅
• The heavy lifting for the Thesis is done. I'm awaiting feedback for this latest iteration from my Readers, and I've also shared with some friends outside of RIT, with backgrounds in Museums, Historic Recreation, and Writing (and also who've just expressed a big interest in reading it). I've asked, if possible, to comment on Readability, Clarity of Concept, and Tone. My hope is that any feedback will be received before this weekend, and I can incorporate needed updates in time for the due date on April 9th. 
• I still need to prepare the signature page for the Thesis document itself and adjust some of the structural formatting (remove some page breaks, adjust some margins). 

I'm grateful to be working in a department with a supervisor that offers the flexibility to complete this last year of my education - there was a distinct lack of that flexibility in my previous depts. 

I have a tendency to downplay my accomplishments, but I feel justified and validated to toot my horn a little bit... I was presented with the Tina Lent Award for Outstanding Scholarship in Museum Studies (a writing award) for my Thesis Proposal/Thesis on Friday, March 22nd at a reception in the University Gallery! 

Ha! No pressure! 

I still believe in my project, and that it is a good idea. More importantly, as I have discussions with members of Indigenous communities (most recently with Peter Jemison [Seneca, Heron clan], former Site Director for Ganondagan State History Site), the feedback and reactions I receive are positive and receptive. It is still my goal to produce some form of my guide by the end of 2024, so I still have a lot of work to do - but I am still passionately motivated to do it. First step... get through the next 21 / 30 / 39 Days...

 

 

We're almost there!

 Meeting with my readers this past week has been very insightful and I feel confident in my ability to deliver my final thesis next week! Looking at the final thesis format (and glancing at the current page count) doesn't quite seem real, but I'm proud of how far I've come since my initial proposal. None of this would have been possible without my wonderful support team in my readers, professors, family, and friends. I am so grateful to everyone who has helped me refine my message and my voice throughout this journey. I can't fully believe yet that it's coming to an end, but I am also very ready for this to be finished. T-7 days to submission, better get writing!

Last Week for Writing

 Today marks the first day of the last week we have left to work on our thesis. I met last week with my advisors to go over final content additions and revisions. I only have a little bit more to add and adjust within my current version and then I am done. I plan to have this done by Thursday of this week so that I do not have to work on this over the weekend. I only have a bit more to add and then I will be done so I am very excited for this part of my journey to be over. While I have enjoyed all the work that I have done for this semester and really enjoy my thesis topic overall, I am very eager to graduate and finish my career at RIT on a positive note. 

The Final Sprint....

OMG! I only have to work on my appendix and edit my paper, and then I am DONE with my thesis! I am so excited about this. Like I have said in previous posts, I never thought that I would get this far, and I am so proud of myself for being able to push myself and pursue a project that interests me. While this has been a lot of work, I am so thankful for all of those who have helped to push and who have helped to support me. I am excited to turn in the last little bit of my paper, and I am excited to see how the rest of this semester plays out!

Getting to the Finish Line!

 I am very close to finishing my thesis at this point in the semester! It almost doesn't feel real because I have been working on it for so long haha. I am pretty much done writing at this point and am mainly focused on editing. I went to the Writing Center recently, which I found really helpful and I think would be a good idea for everyone in thesis to do at least once. I also have started working on my poster! Overall, it's been a very busy but very productive few weeks and I look forward to finishing up. 

BIG Milestone!

 I finished writing all the sections of the thesis! I feel so accomplished and proud of myself for pushing through the rough patches and setbacks of this thesis. At the beginning of this semester, I was still trying to get my idea fully fleshed out and felt that my classmates were 10 steps ahead of me. I felt like I wasn't contributing anything new to the field but soon came to terms that I don't need to create a groundbreaking concept to be successful. Instead, I could make connections between ideologies and case studies and write meaningful commentary while also bringing in my personal interests. All I have left to do is write a quick conclusion and continue editing bit by bit to make it ready to get signed off. I also got a job for after I graduate! Page supervisor at the Brighton Memorial Library!

Second Draft + More to do!

Since my last post, I have submitted my second draft to my readers. I have been focused on writing my auto-ethnography section to better contextualize the importance of my topic both to my readers and for myself. I found it difficult to write about my memories and experiences at Apple Blossom as I was overwhelmed with what I was remembering. It made me think of the best times and worst times in my life, but gave my thesis a sense of humanity and emotion to it. I do have to do revisions on this section, but it was helpful to do my intitial write up of. This week, I have been focusing on looking at my poster, which is going to be done in the colors of the festival: pink and green. As far as the next few weeks are looking, below are the areas I will be focusing on more: 

- Poster

- Methodology: Interview 

- Race and Migratory Farming in Rural Shenandoah Valley 

- Addressing new and existing edits/comments

- Conclusion 

I still have a lot of work to do before April 9, but I am excited to see the finish line coming up!

Second Draft Done, One Final Draft to Go!

 Hello, welcome back to another update of my thesis and project. Since my last update, I have submitted my second draft and dug into all the data I have acquired. I have made some great connections between the data I have collected and the generational views of the younger generation (Y & Z). I am waiting for feedback for my second draft, but I am brainstorming ideas for my research posters. I want to style it like the World War One propaganda poster, so I have been looking through my collection to gain inspiration for what elements I should incorporate into my research poster. Getting back to my thesis paper over the next few weeks, I plan on working on:

1. Work more on sharpening and honing the ideas and periods I discuss in the thesis
2. Provide more analysis of the data gathered from the visitor studies 
3. work on including more details about the curation of my exhibition and insert more of the posters I chose for the exhibition 
4. Proofreading, addressing typos, and general editing  

That is all there is for me to report at this point in time. However, I will leave you with some images of posters from my collection that I think I can base my research poster on.

Halfway Through

 As the semester continues, my thesis has become more finalized I can finally see where my final revisions are taking my paper. I really enjoy the direction my revision have taken me in the past couple of weeks. I have incorporated feedback from my first and second readers and I am deeply appreciative of all of their revision notes and feedback. 

Over the next couple weeks I plan to work on my poster that corresponds to my thesis, as well as enjoy spring break as I finish up my one internship from January. Then after break I plan on getting back to work on revisions.

Getting closer!

It was exciting to turn in my second thesis draft. I've enjoyed working through the case studies of tthe objects I selected at GCV&M, especially researching the history/story of them. It's been so interesting to me. I've got the poster design coming up and will be going to GCV&M to take photos of the objects over spring break. As much as I am enjoying everything I am certainly ready to be finished! Really ready!

The Wheels on the Bus are Stuck in the Muck

 Ok, that's a bit of an exaggeration. 

My momentum has been arrested a bit by "real life," in the form of new projects and new hire onboarding at Job #1 and merch photography for Job #2 (hey, at least my camera's getting some use), as well as reading through some late addition resources and needing time to absorb the content. 

The latest update, Official Draft Submission #2, did not contain as much content as I had intended, but I did incorporate some "placeholder" paragraphs explaining which of the new resources I was referencing and a summary of what was going to be added. 

I never expected to have to also contend with Spring Cleaning Frenzy, considering how lazy and unmotivated I've been for the past few months; but I did lose pretty much my entire weekend to work for Job #2 and house cleaning and errands - but a clean space is very conducive to productive thoughts. 

The plan, moving forward: 

• I need to start scheduling writing blocks again and sticking to them. 
• I have hit that point of "no new resources." I keep acquiring new material and I want to incorporate it all; but I just don't have the time or mental capacity. I will work to incorporate the information "promised" in this last update; but that in and of itself will involve some major changes to the flow of my current narrative. I'm in a decent place; but I don't feel I can afford another "parsing roadblock."
• I have everything that I need to complete the course (and degree) requirements. I need to start recategorizing elements of my task list for "after graduation" work. I do want to see this book to fruition, hopefully by this Fall... but I need to stop trying to figure out how to have all of the conversations and develop all of the content for a full deliverable in 50 days. 
• In the next few weeks, I will:
• work on designing prototype pages.
• If possible, come up with a website or mobile app wireframe for the paper and Poster.
• complete my paper and ask some external friends to act as beta readers (I have a few friends with museum and/or history-related degrees and work in museums/historic battlefields; as well as some "laypersons" who are just interested in my thesis).
• Acquire some "textbook quality" field photographs for the prototype. Ideally somewhere on or near the Ganondagan site, but so long as I remain in Seneca territory it will suffice.
• Continue efforts to connect with possible collaborative partners.

It's quite a list. If I can't find the time or energy to get out and do some birding, I'll look through my collections and find something fitting... I've just never taken a photo of an American Woodcock (Snipe) before, and I have this inner insistence to include it as the Snipe is one of the Seneca clans. I do have photos of Hawks and Heron. There is an upcoming trip to observe the Woodcock Courtship behaviors in April; that may be my chance; though they dance at Dusk so lighting challenges may deny me my photo. 

Ah well, I'll figure it out... it always works out in the end. It's a mystery ;)

68 Days. 

Pushing Towards the Finish Line!

 Second drafts have been submitted for review, and while there is still a lot of work to be done, this is a time for celebration. I've now written the bulk of my paper (save for a few important sections that remain) and can shift my focus to refining, but that hardest parts are over. As we move into poster preparation and finishing steps, what I'm REALLY looking forward to is sharing my work with a larger audience.

Lately I have been focusing on the "arguments" section of my paper, that is, making the argument that Renaissance Faires are a valid form of living history. In the fall, I assumed that this section would be the easiest to write; my opinions were formed and it seemed only to be a matter of getting them down on paper. But now that the time has come to pen these pages, my mind is swimming with the things that I have learned from existing literature, and find myself working within a greater context that I never could have imagined when picking this topic back in October.

There isn't much left to say except an expression of continued excitement to see my classmates' projects take shape as well. Everyone is working hard, and I know we can do great things! PA Renaissance Faire tickets have finally gone on sale, and as the weather warms up and my thesis nears completion, I can't wait to see what life after graduation holds.

Second Milestone

 The second draft is submitted, whoohoo! I now have my section on the Charleston Museum written which only leaves the section on the FAP and my conclusion left!! It doesn't sound like a lot in my head but I know it will be a busy homestretch. I'm so proud of everything I have done so far.🙀In the Charleston section, I expanded on a lot more statistics on their visitor patterns during the early 20th century than I thought I would. This is because I found scans online of the Charleston Museum bulletin that was written under director Paul Rea's management. It was so hard to decide what I should and shouldn't include because it was such good content and was quite interesting. However, I didn't want to go overboard on a topic that didn't directly correlate to my thesis. I also started working on my poster for the symposium and I like how it's turning out so far. 

The Home Stretch

Draft two submitted! Processing the feedback was definitely difficult, but it has greatly helped in fleshing out my literature review. My section on DeafSpace is mostly done, though I would like to expand on it a bit more before I submit my thesis. The sections left to write are my case study, its interpretation, and the conclusion! Now is just time to get cracking, with periodic breaks to design my poster. I'm most excited to get that finished, I'm looking forward to sharing my work with others.

Draft 2 Complete :)

I submitted my second draft yesterday! It's really shocking to me how far I've come whenever I open the document and see how long it is haha. I'm very proud of the progress I've made and it's hard to believe that the semester is halfway over and that I'm so close to finishing my thesis. We started working on posters yesterday too which I think will be a lot of fun because I really love design, so I'm excited to see how it comes out! 

I can see the finish line!

 Hello all! I am super excited to announce that my project worked! I implemented my indoor navigation model at the RMSC, and all seemed to work out just fine! I am really looking forward to making the last couple of touchups on my thesis, and getting it done by April 9th! The finish line is in sight! 

Still Chugging Along

I thought my blog post was published yesterday but it did not! So here is an additional submissions on 2/7. 

Since turning in the first draft last week, I have had a lot of time to think about what else I need to add to make my thesis stronger. While writing my draft, I realized it would be beneficial to have a section added that talked about migratory farming and farmers from Central and South America. I realized this after thinking about the Clarissa Uprooted project and how there are similaries there. I will be spending a lot of time doing more research into this section in regard to both primary and secondary sources. I also have my first interview with the former mayor of Winchester, Virginia who helped run the festival for many years and had many different roles in the planning. I am very excited to talk with him and hear his memories and stories. I will be basing our conversation on the questions Landyn Hatch and Dr. Carroll have both looked over. I also found some great pictures of myself in the Grand Feature Parade that I will attach here and look into adding to my thesis figures as well. 

First Draft Completed and Data Curation: James Falotico

 Hello, welcome back to another update of my thesis and project. Since my last update, I have accomplished quite a lot. First, I held a reception for my exhibition and gave visitors access to an exit survey so I could start curating data for my thesis. So far, I have received 65 completed surveys, and I am now digging through the data from the study and organizing it in a way usable in my thesis. To give a small window into the data I collected, the object that captured the audience's attention the most was a poster titled Save Waste Fats For Explosives (I have included an image below). The poster motif that stood out the most to the public is The Enemy (I have included a picture of a poster that displays the enemy below). Moving away from the exhibit side of my project, I have also reached out to Jessy Ohl from the University of Alabama and have received the website traffic data from his online exhibit Persuasive Weapons: WWI Propaganda Posters, which I will soon analyze to find visitor patterns and measure visitor engagement. Finally, I have completed and sent out the first draft of my thesis to my thesis advisors, and I look forward to reading their feedback. 

Link to Jessy Ohl's online Exhibit: https://apps.lib.ua.edu/blogs/worldwariposters/     

Save Waste Fats for Explosives

An example of a poster that displays the motif of the Enemy.

Hun or Home?

Drafting & Discovering!

 As my comrades have already detailed, last week marked the first opportunity to produce a draft of our theses beyond a proposal. I used this time to re-evaluate the state of af-fairs (ha) of Renn Faires in the United States, and select those which I intend to use as "cases" for my argument! 

Initially, I had planned to use my "home" Faire, the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, as well as the New York Renaissance Fair (closest to RIT) for case studies as a subcomponent of my thesis paper. A quick search of events in the US, however, turned up some interesting data. I had known that the oldest Faire in the US (considered to be the first ever anywhere, and the blueprint for Faires to come) is the Renaissance Pleasure Faire in California, inaugurated in 1962. What I didn't know, however, was that that was just the tip of the iceberg. 

Some fun facts and figures for you*:

• The Texas Renaissance Festival pulls in the highest yearly attendance of 500,000-600,000 guests!
• The Colorado Renaissance Fair has the largest physical space, clocking in at 338 acres!
• Pennsylvania (though my personal favorite of course) rests in the middle of the pack, founded in 1980 as a publicity stunt that turned wildly popular and now pulls in around 250,000 visitors yearly.

With all of this information, I changed my initial plans and have settled on a trifecta of the Renaissance Pleasure Faire, Texas Renn Fest, and PA Renn Faire as my case studies. These events really run the gamut of what Faires have to offer, and I have been dutifully researching them each as a valuable foundation for my project. 

To summarize: My first draft arrives at the intersection of exciting things, and I can't wait to use this information I've been gathering to better my work. Long live the Faire!

*Information accessed & summarized via Wikipedia; corroborated by each Faire's official website.

1st Draft and Moving Along

It was exciting to turn in the first draft of the semester (even though I had a bit of a computer nightmare and couldn't access pieces of it). I'm working on my item case studies now and that's going well. I have 5 objects I have decided to definitely use and another 5 that I am pretty sure I am going to use. I am busy compiling research on those. I'm trying to remind myself to just get all the information and research down and that I don't have to make everything perfect right at this time. Writing in "draft" is hard for me but I'm trying to focus on that vs every case study must be in complete "turn-in-able" form. It's best for me to get it all out there and refine a bit down the road. I'm heading to the GCV&M on Monday to do some research in the library. Since I just redid that library last semester, I know a few books that will be helpful in some of the case study research. Things are moving along but I feel like I need to pick up the pace now. I have to say I will be pretty excited to be finished!

First Draft of Thesis is Complete

 So this post is a bit late, I apologize for that! But last week- January 30th 2024, we turned in our rough drafts for our thesis topics. I knew if I tried to write this draft out all in one go, I was going to end up hating my topic and never want to look at the draft again. So, this time for probably one of the first times in my college career I set aside time in each day for about a week and a half to work on the draft. My goals were for one day to do further research on a section within the thesis, then the next day implement all the information from those sources into the section I was currently writing. I did this for about three sections that I wanted to be my core, and which left me room to add sections if need be.

As of right now my thesis went a bit away from where I originally thought it was gonna go, but I’m not mad about it. In fact I quite like the direction it is going in. I cannot wait to see how my peers have progressed in their work as well! 

First Drafts and Imposter Syndrome

 Well, it's becoming real to me. Last week (1/30) we submitted official First Drafts of our theses. As I was looking over the cover page the Saturday prior I stopped and just stared at my monitor in awe... and my heart skipped a couple of beats. It's actually happening... or, one might say "sh-- just got real!" Somewhat as I joke I've continued mentioning my countdown (though I've chosen to not feature it in my blog post titles, just in case it might cause additional anxiety for my peers), but something about seeing that officially formatted cover page, with the title of my thesis, and with my name on it, and the final submission date... I had some minor fireworks going off in my mind there for a moment. 

I had a lot of opportunity to talk about my project with various friends and co-workers from my part-time job; and the owners of the Bird House were both excited for me and tossing out ideas about me making presentations at the store or to birding groups in the area, and the excitement and ocean of possibilities loomed wide and vast...

Fast forward to me looking at myself in the mirror this morning; thinking about my project and where I'd like it to go and how it would be useful and/or appealing for different target audiences, and I suddenly asked myself, "who the heck do I think I am, how am I any kind of authority to be attempting something like this?" I'm not a linguist. I'm not an educator. I'm not a historian. I'm not an ornithologist. I'm not an anthropologist. I'm not even indigenous to this continent (or so says Ancestry.com). What gives me any kind of authority or credibility to produce what will amount to an English / Seneca Dictionary and Reference Guide? In that moment, I began to doubt the validity of my project, the acceptance of my project, and my perception of self. 

As I continued getting ready for work, the doubts became more muffled and easier to ignore. Besides, that negative inner voice doesn't have it quite right... with the successful completion of my academic requirements and acceptance of my thesis and poster; I will be a Museum Studies graduate engaging in a Public History initiative, which is in line with my professional track. And, while not an ornithologist, I am accomplished in the observation and photographing of birds in urban and natural environments - and for the areas in which I'm lacking credentials or expertise or experience I am seeking collaborations with those who are authorities in the manner; or can rightfully speak to the material, words, and content in question. 

Get thee behind me, Inner Voice of negativity... because I still have a lot of work to do and no time to be distracted by you. 

96 Days. 

First Milestone of the Semester

 With our first draft submitted I am feeling really confident and successful. Getting started with the actual thesis writing aside from our proposals really intimidated me at first and I'm proud of myself for doing it. I chose to start with the most difficult portion of my thesis, informal learning basics and such, instead of leaving it to the end like I originally planned and I'm glad I did that. Hopefully, it will avoid future stress when we get down to the wire. I'm eager to receive feedback from my readers and start revising and adding. 😸

Draft One Done!

Many things are happening at once, but this is one thing I can check off my (immediate) to-do list! Making significant progress feels amazing and the foundation of my work is shaping up. Next steps are to assemble a coherent audit out of the audit from my visit to the Boston Museum of Science and to visit and audit Dyer Arts Center. I have decided to drop the Memorial Art Gallery as a case study because the workload is not feasible for me at this point and I feel that it is the weakest of my case studies. Dyer covers a gallery that specifically serves a Deaf audience and the MOS has the most resources associated with a museum serving a large, broad audience that is reaching out to integrate the Deaf community. The MAG has few available resources pertinent to my writing and I feel that my point can be made well with the two case studies I have chosen to continue with. Now, to write the case studies while I await feedback on my literature review!

First Draft of Thesis!

I just sent in my first draft of my thesis! I am really happy to have reached this milestone- it actually was a lot easier than I expected it to be. Writing usually is my favorite part of any assignment, so I guess it makes sense haha. I'm really enjoying writing about the relationships between DC politics and the Smithsonian in particular- did you know that the United States Bicentennial was originally a part of Nixon's re-election campaign before Watergate happened? I'm looking forward to doing more legal based research and writing in the upcoming weeks! 

First draft of thesis is in!

I am feeling very excited today because I finally completed my first draft of my senior thesis! In all honesty, I never thought that I would be able to write 20 pages on one particular topic, so I have really surprised myself with this milestone. I am very excited to being able to devote some of my focus now to my project, and actually work on getting my model up and running. I am excited to try out my model and evaluate its effectiveness. I am also hoping that I will have time to work on doing a little more research and writing to strengthen my thesis and hopefully add on another 5-10 pages before February ends. Overall, I am really happy with the position that I am in right now, and to finish this semester strong. 

Introduction to my Thesis - Etta Arnold

 Hello everyone! My name is Etta Arnold and I am a fourth year MUSE major at RIT. Despite starting out as a chemistry major, I soon found myself deeply involved in art and museum studies at RIT. I spend most of my time at RIT now working and doing letterpress printmaking in RIT Cary Collection, working in Shop One, and helping out University Gallery with installation. This past semester, I got the honor to be invited to be a student producer for the Beyond Fashion show held at the end of the past three fall semesters. The show encourages designers to create a wearable garment/art piece that reflects the Vignellis' design principles, and this year's theme was 'The Grid is Everything.' This role as producer meant the rest of the team and I spent weeks managing, gathering artists, photographers, production assistants, new media designers, models and much more. It also meant working very closely with the Vignelli Center and the archive itself, and eventually creating an exhibition of the show in University Gallery. The show and my thesis focus on the relation of the clothing designs and holdings of the archive, analyzing how a fashion show can be created out of an archive that isn't fashion related. This week I have finished up installation, and look forward to more Vignelli events to come! 

An Introduction to my Thesis

 Hello! My name is Caitlin McCabe and I'm double-majoring in Museum Studies and History with an immersion in ASL/Deaf Culture. My thesis focuses on museum accessibility and intends to examine the current industry perspective on accessibility by comparing it to the DeafSpace movement. DeafSpace is an architectural philosophy that was founded at Gallaudet University in 2005 and is both a descriptive analysis and a prescriptive guide for the design of physical space used by d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing (d/D/HH) people. The five principles of DeafSpace - Space and Proximity, Sensory Reach, Mobility and Proximity, Light and Color, and Acoustics and EMI - contextualize how d/D/HH, both signers and non-signers, understand and navigate the space around them. DeafSpace approaches design from the perspective of disabled people and accessibility as first principles and I am interested in seeing how museums can change their approach to and struggles with accessibility through this approach. I am conducting three case studies that I feel exemplify a range of relationships with accessibility and the Deaf community. Dyer Arts Center is a small, free to access art gallery that showcases Deaf artists and is located in the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, so it is by and for the Deaf community. The Memorial Art Gallery is a mid-sized museum in Rochester that serves its large Deaf community, but is not necessarily for Deaf people. The Boston Museum of Science is located in a large city and serves its diverse greater metropolitan area but has recently published detailed research on how they can serve their d/D/HH constituency. At this point, I have one exhibit assessment under my belt (the Boston MOS) and am looking forward to my other two assessments. The end is in sight!

116 Days Until Journey's End

 So, this is my first Blog Post for MUSE 490: Senior Thesis

I began this journey towards earning my Museum Studies BS in 2017. It's scary and amazing and exciting and stressful to realize that, Gods willing, I will reach its conclusion in 116 Days. 

For those reading who may not know me, my name is Angelique Armstrong and I have been employed here at RIT since August 2011 and attending classes part-time. 

I've had a lot of random ideas for potential Senior Thesis projects; including introducing First Person Interpretation at the Susan B. Anthony House, putting up an exhibition of Photos depicting wildlife found on the RIT grounds, introducing diversity in Interpretation and Representation at Genesee Country Village and Museum, and something [undefined] having to do with the Erie Canal and packet boats; like a Rochester addition to the Erie Canal Museum system. 

This summer I was inspired to work on a project that hits a number of personal interest points - Wildlife Photography and specifically my bird photos, and Native American/Indigenous influences in interacting with nature. The current working title for my project-based thesis is Through Caretakers’ Eyes: Reshaping the Euro-American Birding Experience through the Inclusion of Narratives from Indigenous Communities of Western New York.

The title has been evolving as I find more information or speak to different people, and as of this past weekend I had the opportunity to meet with a members of the Seneca and Oneida Nations and their input may result in a minor shift in direction; at least as far as what my proposed deliverables might be. 

Initially I was planning to create a birding guide that could act as a cultural alternative to the traditional Sibley or Audubon Guides, one filled with Indigenous cultural content; but when discussing how my project might benefit members of Indigenous communities it was suggested I contact the Seneca Language Immersion Program (Deadiwënöhsnye’s Gëjóhgwa - "The Group of People Who Protect The Language"); and that my guide might be developed to be used to aid in teaching and learning the Seneca language; as the numbers of fluent speakers is diminishing. 

This suggestion was very inspiring to me, though initially I have some anxiety as far as what kinds of deliverables I would be able to complete by March 5th. 

While this project was initially driven by my personal interests... maybe it doesn't have to be about me at all; or... so much. 

Next on my to-do list: 

• Reach out to someone at the Seneca Language Immersion Program (Immersion Director, Amber Bennett: amber.bennett@sni.org)
• Schedule a "team" meeting with 1st and 2nd Readers
• Finish reading "Words That Come Before All Else: Environmental Philosophies of the Haudenosaunee" 
• Start reworking my Thesis document
• panic

oh, here... meet my writing partner, BoyKitty Jonesy 😁 

Introduction

Hello!

My name is Izzy Moyer, and I am a fourth-year Museum Studies Major at RIT. I am very excited to be embarking on my last semester here at RIT and finishing up my thesis this semester. I am a little nervous about getting everything that I want to do complete, but I have a lot of great people supporting me and helping me get this project done. 

The goal for my project is to create an indoor navigation model for a specific museum, that visitors to that museum can access on their mobile devices to navigate the museum. For my project, I am going to be using the platform "Mappedin," which allows you to create one free space per account. By the end of this project, I hope to have an interactive that is functional and can be accessed on my chosen museum's website. 

By biggest concern for this project is actually writing my thesis. My dad gave me advice that he was told when writing this dissertation for his PhD., that is to work on your paper for 10 minutes, and then decide from there if you want to continue. 

I can't wait to share my experiences with you all in my last few months here at RIT! :D

An Introduction to Me and My Thesis!

Hi! My name is Emma Nastro and I am a fourth year Museum Studies major with a double minor in Environmental Science and Art History and an immersion in Legal Studies. My thesis topic is the governance structures and legal frameworks of the Smithsonian's history museums, and how those structures and frameworks can prevent the Smithsonian from portraying complex historical narratives or views that vary from that of the current United States government. Right now I am looking at the Smithsonian's leadership format and bylaws, as well as laws passed by Congress regarding the Smithsonian. I will also be looking at case law regarding situations similar to the Smithsonian (of which the legal definition is very unclear). This thesis was inspired by my love of legal research and my love for public libraries, which are facing a lot of censorship threats currently and are being covered extensively in mainstream news alongside issues of free speech on college campuses. I wondered if public museums like the Smithsonian faced similar threats as to what content they could put in their exhibits and programming. I'm looking forward to sharing my research and writing progress throughout this semester :)

Starting Spring Semester!

My name is River Starliper and I'm in my final year of Museum Studies here at RIT. My thesis seeks to research and understand participatory living history exercises based on a specific (albeit nontraditional) example: welcome to the realm of alcohol and general debauchery, the Renaissance Faire is in town!

If you've never been to a Renaissance Faire (typically just called Renn Faires or any other variation of the spelling), you may be surprised to find that the "Renaissance" in question is based more on fantasy and fairgoer-culture than any real-life time period. But these Faires still act as an exercise in participatory living history, in which costumed interpreters guide visitors through a setting that exists apart from the modern world. These Faires do not so much attract the hobbyist historian as they attract hippies, costumers, day-drinkers, witches, and generally those who consider themselves a part of some form of counter-culture. 

My paper aims to examine the relationship between informal (and, in some cases, inaccurate) re-enactment and more formal "living history" or "museum" educational modalities. This research examines alternative methods of "meaning-making" for museum and Faire visitors, and explores how even experiences that are not "historically accurate" can provide valuable educational insights about a topic, time period, or cultural phenomenon.

This is a project born out of personal interest that has morphed into (at least, for me) an interesting conversation on how we learn about the past.

Stay tuned as I continue my journey into new academic depths. Forsooth!

Pictured: Myself (left) & friends in homemade costumes outside of the 2023 Pennsylvania Renaissance Fair

Introduction to my thesis- Sydney Arcuri

My thesis topic is discussing the different types of digitization used in museums and other collection-based institutions and how these technologies shape the way in which museum collections are accessed by the general public. From my class in research methods that I took last semester my overall thesis and abstract have not changed all the much. This is the current iteration of my abstract as of 1/16/2024:

This thesis paper will focus on museum digitization technologies and examine the promises museums make regarding this technology. Museum digitization has the potential to provide numerous educational and interpretive possibilities to a worldwide audience from anywhere in the world anytime. However, as technology advances and becomes more readily available, museums and other collection-based institutions make promises surrounding these technologies with little to none anticipated or expected obstacles. Firsthand experience observed through a summer internship at the Field Museums in Chicago, Illinois serves as a base foundation for this thesis. Primarily focusing on digitization, this internship allows for an avenue to test whether these promises of digitization are possible. Paired along with comparative analysis with other organizations, the validity of these museums goals of digitization will be scrutinized and questioned. The scale and size of these comparative institutions was taken into consideration since museums of different scales experience things different from one other. The goal of my thesis is to first explain what is digitization and some different technologies that are commonly utilized. Then this thesis aims to explore whether museums are over ambitious when it comes to the digitization of their collections. This thesis asks if museums can really live up to their grand pronouncements of having all of their objects digitized within the next few years. Asking can they really do this or is it even physically possible given the limitations of outside factors such as budget, time, staff, resources, collections, and other similar variables. 

Welcome to my Thesis Project: James Falotico

    Hello, my name is James Falotico; I am a 4th year museum studies major currently working on my thesis/capstone project. To briefly introduce my project, I am researching and analyzing the evolution of the public's opinion on exhibitions that focus on displaying World War 1 propaganda posters. For the research side of my project, I have found case studies from various exhibitions from the 1970s, 2018, and 2023. For the project-oriented side of my thesis, I have curated and installed an exhibit titled Selling War and Buying Patriotism: Propaganda, Posters, and Prose from WWI and WWII. This exhibit displays various World War propaganda posters from my collection and explores themes seen through a modern lens. I will invite the public to take an exit survey during this exhibit to gauge modern public opinion on World War propaganda. Finally, exciting news: the exhibit has been installed and officially opened today (1/16/2023). The pictures below are from the installation of Selling War and Buying Patriotism: Propaganda, Posters, and Prose from WWI and WWII.

January Updates for Spring Semester

My project has mostly stayed the same since my final submission in December of my proposal. I am still very much focused on the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival, the apply industry of the Shenandoah Valley, and the relationship between the two. My literature review focuses on background information on the definitions of festivals, the roots of agricultural festivals, and a brief history of the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival. I did not spend much time looking at my thesis over the winter break so I could come back to the spring semester with a fresh mind and excitement for what I worked on in the fall. I did, however, spend a day at the Handley Regional Library in their local archives collection to find more primary source material and photographs. I will have to access historic photographs via their PassPerfect archives website. I did find three interesting sources that relate to how the community see the festival and its history (two blog posts from 2015, and a 1977 festival souvinir program). I also viewed a 1927-1932 ledger that allowed me to better understand how the region exported their apple products out of the country, via train car and shipping vessel, to different parts of Europe. The hardest part that has not been able to be secured in any way is the interviews I was hoping to do. I will be continuing revisions to my abstract and literature review as time allows while adding new elements to my paper. 

Introduction to my Thesis

    My thesis will discuss how informal learning about art and history has evolved since the establishment of the first museum in the United States and how significant federal funding has aided this evolution. The key research methods include the examination of primary and secondary resources, including oral histories held by the Smithsonian Archives of American Art. Using these in conjunction with the work of theorists John Cotton Dana, a library and museum professional, and John Dewey, a theorist of experiential learning, I will demonstrate the connections between art education, museums, and libraries and what they share with the histories of the Charleston Art Museum and the Federal Art Project. Building upon these resources and drawing new conclusions from them, this thesis will ultimately explore the lasting legacies both of these have had on informal learning of art and history in museums and beyond.  

    As of now, my research has consisted of exploring stories from artists who directly experienced the implementation of New Deal Era programs such as the Federal Art Project. I have also been familiarizing myself with the different policies and legal details of these programs using the reports on art projects created by the director of the Federal Art Project, Holger Cahill.

😃

Jill Johnson Thesis Project

First day of MUSE 490 and this is where my abstract now stands.

Abstract:

Objects without a narrative are simply things. By contrast, an object with a story can be used as a vehicle for a museum to open dialogues with visitors about the people of that time period, how they lived their lives, and what social aspects influenced them. The story of an object, what makes it different from hundreds of others just like it, can change it from ordinary to extraordinary and be used as a powerful learning tool by helping the audience to create connections and make meaning of what they are seeing and experiencing. This thesis will explore the relationships between objects and their un-visible or hidden stories in order to show the importance of narrative and meaning making in museums, particularly living history museums. By examining, researching, and exploring ten objects from the collection of the Genesee Country Village & Museum (GCV&M), a 19th century living history village in Western New York, this thesis will demonstrate the importance in using narrative in interpretation. The key research methods include examination of primary and secondary literature and the creation of new primary sources. Previous and newly-created interviews with long-time interpreters of the historic houses at GCV&M will provide insight into the kinds of questions visitors ask about the objects filling the sixty-eight historic structures on the campus. In addition, literature written by museum professionals will support the research by uncovering current practices and approaches around objects and storytelling, meaning making in museums, and the importance of those in a historic house, site, or living history village. These two avenues of research will become the basis for storytelling about the ten items selected from GCV&M in order to show the extent to which narratives in a museum or historic setting are key to successful visitor education and can be used as a way to help tie them to the past while making meaning in their present and guiding their future. Shifting from research to application, this thesis will culminate in an online exhibit for GCV&M to see how the narratives created as part of this project can, in fact, turn ordinary things into extraordinary objects that reveal hidden histories and bridge the gap between past and present and guide the audience into making meaningful connections.