Nine Museum and Cultural Heritage Studies graduate students traveled to Daytona Beach in September 2025 for the Florida Association of Museums Annual Conference. Led by museum studies seminar instructor Dr. Susan Baldino and joined by Professor Mora Beauchamp-Byrd and adjunct instructor Dr. Carey Fee, the students attended four days of professional learning sessions, keynote addresses, roundtables, and evening tours and receptions at museums.
The conference theme, “Preserving Paradise,” addressed issues faced by arts and cultural organizations in Florida, the nation, and beyond. Session themes ranged from collections, exhibitions and education to management, technology, and fund raising. Students especially enjoyed the interactive session presented by museum directors and curators, “Things They Don’t Teach You in Museum School” where they learned about “relevant problems in the land of Florida Man.”
Seven of the nine MCHS students attending the conference worked at the registration desk and professional learning sessions. At right, Taylor Nelson, Jolie Rambin, Sam Sonken, and Lanai Johnson register conference attendees at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort.
Below, L to R: Dr. Mora Beauchamp-Byrd, Genna Dulcio, Corinne Roethke, Murphy Movsovitz, Dr. Carey Fee, Lanai Johnson, Taylor Nelson, Sam Sonken, Karen Vargas, Chase Panish, Jolie Rambin, and Dr. Susan Baldino.
Favorite museum encounters took place at Ponce Inlet, where students climbed 203 steps of the tallest lighthouse in Florida and explored the Historic Pacetti Hotel Museum, one of Volusia County’s oldest surviving structures. Another highlight was the exhibition “It’s a Ship Show: Exploring Florida’s Maritime Canvas” at the Museum of Arts and Sciences.
Upon final reviews, all agreed that the conference provided a worthwhile examination of museum careers. Networking with museum leaders was the most profitable takeaway as students discovered internships and secured mentorships that will advance their museum futures. As one student participant writes:
“The FAM Conference was a great experience – a unique opportunity for our cohort to contextualize what we’re learning as students and, as it came so early in our graduate program, a chance to bond as peers pursuing a shared field.”
