(Please pardon cross-postings)

Do you know of anyone looking for some financial support to help get them
to their first Visitor Studies conference in Washington, D.C.?  Encourage
them to apply for the April Award:



Visitor Studies Association
April Award Travelship

        The Visitor Studies Association April Award travelship will be
awarded for the second time at the annual Conference in Washington, D.C. in
August
1998.  It was established to assist junior VSA members to attend their
first Visitor Studies Conference.  The 1998 Award will be waiver of the
registration fee for the Conference.

        Because student members have their own VSA travelship fund, they
are not
eligible to apply for the April Award.  Preference will be given to those
who live outside the Conference area.

        Selection of the recipient will be based on information submitted
to the
April Award Committee on this form (or a copy of it).  To apply, complete
this form, attach your succinct descriptive letter and your support letter,
and mail to Dr. Marilyn  G. Hood, 3310 Somerford Rd., Columbus, OH
 433221-1418, by APRIL 10, 1998.  The recipient will be notified by May 15,
1998.


Name__________________________________________

Title___________________________________________

Institution_______________________________________

Address____________________________________________________________________

Telephone___________________Fax_____________________E-mail______________
____

VSA  Membership (current dues paid)  _____yes _____no

Number of Years in Research-Evaluation Field_________

Have you attended previous Visitor Studies Conferences? _____________Years:
__________

Please write a letter providing the following information:

1. Describe why you need to come to a Visitor Studies Conference for
professional development.
2. Provide evidence of financial need in order to attend VSC 1998 (such as
employer not paying any/all expenses for applicant to attend).
3. Describe how you believe attendance at the VSC will assist you in your
audience research-evaluation work in the future, and note which aspects of
the field are of greatest interest/value to you.
4. Identify anything you have already accomplished in the field (conducted
audience research or evaluation, designed exhibits, etc.).

Please include a support letter from someone who knows your work (museum
director, immediate supervisor, VSA member).

Questions?  Contact Dr. Hood at  (614) 451-5958

DEADLINE IS APRIL 10, 1998




APRIL AWARD TRAVELSHIP

        The second April Award travelship will be presented at the Visitor
Studies Conference luncheon on Friday, August 7, 1998, in Washington, D.C.
the
award, consisting of waiver of registration fee for the Conference, will be
given to a junior VSA member to attend his/her first Conference.

        The first April Award travelship recipient was honored and more
than $700 was raised for the Award endowment fund at the Award luncheon
held during
the 1997 Visitor Studies Conference in Birmingham. AL.  A capacity crowd of
over 70 persons attended.

        The honoree was Jason Drebitko, visitor research fellow at the Seacoast
Science Center in Rye, NH, who was assisted in attending his first Visitor
Studies Conference by the April Award.   Jason, who is currently enrolled
in Harvard University's Graduate School of Education, is also working
part-time on an evaluation project at the New England Aquarium in Boston.

        April Award luncheon speaker was Neil Bremer, who blended his two
careers -in museum work and as a comedian- by skillfully probing the
foibles of
museum personnel and the institutions they serve.  Through humor, he
challenged the audience to discover new perspectives on themselves and
their publics.

        The luncheon was pronounced a highlight of the Conference both by those
attending and by responses on the evaluation form.  Plans are underway to
have an equally delightful event this year in Washington.

        Jason commented that attending the 1997 Conference was especially
valuable for the opportunities to meet colleagues, particularly persons
whose papers he had read in the professional literature, and for the chance
to become
further involved in the museum field.

        Applications for the second April Award, for attendance at the 1998
Conference in Washington, may be made on the verso of this sheet.  Call or
write Marilyn G. Hood if you have questions about the application.


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Sue Allen, Ph.D.
The Exploratorium, 3601 Lyon St, San Francisco, CA 94123.
Phone: (415)-353-0471
Fax: (415)-561-0370       [log in to unmask]
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