I'm a recent graduate from a master's program in Museum Education, and
like many of my fellow classmates I am looking for a full time position.
At the moment I have been forced to look at alternative job fields,
not necessarily for better pay, but simply to pay the rent and try to
have some type of normal life.
I'm frustrated that it has come to this.  I love this field and hope to one
day make my mark and make a difference in someone's life.  However, I
feel this will only be an idealistic wish, because it is hard to make a
difference if you aren't in the right environment to do it.  If I only
had a job, then maybe...

Another bit of input from me on this subject  [ :) ] --a colleague of
   mine and I were thinking about arranging a session at 1996 AAM on
   this subject.  The meeting in Philadelphia had a session on
   internships for Museum Studies students focusing on Registrarial or
   Collections Management work but it was quite limited to information
   for people who are *currently* students.  It appears, with this
   message from another frustrated, unemployed, recently graduated
   professional "wanna-be" (and I do not use this term in any
   derogatory manner--as I am one myself) that there haven't been any
   workshops or discussions on what kinds of problems are facing those
   of us who have followed the good advice of those well established
   in the profession and are still having a hard time--nor have there
   been any gatherings where useful suggestions can be made and
   incorporated into, well, into SOMETHING.  We wanted to do something
   strictly for Registrars and Collections Management and Curators,
   but it does seem as if the frustration does not follow these
   boundaries.

   My questions, now, are these:
   1.)  How many people planning on attending the conference in
   Minneapolis would find something like this useful (provided we can
   make it something MORE than a bitch session)?
   2.)  Is anyone aware of another person's or group's attempt to
   organize a session like this?
   3.)  Are there any well-established professionals out there who
   support the position of we "up-and-comers" and would be willing to
   be part of a panel or assist in the organization of some kind of
   session related to this topic?  (My colleague and I have several
   pages of ideas but don't really know where to go with some of them
   and weren't really sure of the support we'd get with those out
   there already working in the profession)
   4.)  Is it too late to submit a proposal for 1996 AAM?

   If anyone intends to respond to this, please address directly to me
   with "1996 AAM Session" in the subject header.  I'd be more than
   willing to get myself in gear if enough interest is shown...

   Jennifer
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