A Refreshed Scholarship Program for #MCN2020

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, MCN has decided to cancel the in-person conference in Baltimore this November. We will proceed with the 2020 annual conference in the fall in an extended virtual format. This caused us to rethink how we could best adapt MCN’s well-established Scholarship Program to align with a virtual conference model. I’m pleased to introduce a freshly designed approach.

This year, the MCN Scholarship Program will reward 15 qualified emerging to mid-career cultural professionals with a scholarship to conduct research aligned with this year’s conference theme: “Sustainability: Preserve/Progress.” The scholarship also includes the benefit of working with MCN’s Special Interest Groups and ultimately producing a peer reviewed paper of their findings that will be compiled in a publication featuring the works of the entire scholar cohort. The name of this work will be, What’s emerging in the field? 

As always, applications from individuals who identify as belonging to groups that are traditionally underrepresented in the museum field and/or who reside outside of the US will be given additional consideration.

See our Scholarship Program page for a full description of the eligibility requirements, then get started on the Application.

Over the past 15 years, hundreds of former MCN Scholarship recipients have experienced the benefits of the program, contributing to the organization’s mission to build digital capacity across the museum sector by growing a digitally savvy workforce that can navigate and harness the latest innovations. Now, more than ever, this program must continue to expand to reach new talent and share their wisdom with the museum sector. Shifting to a fully virtual conference does not diminish this goal, rather, it provides expanded opportunities!

We hope that in spite of, and indeed because of, the circumstances you will be encouraged and inspired to apply for the Scholarship Program in 2020. 

Eric Longo, MCN Executive Director