Max and Shirley Kogan Museum Experience Fund

The Max and Shirley Kogan Museum Experience Fund supports students interested in one of three kinds of experiences: a museum visit tour, a museum internship, or attendance at a professional museum conference. Apply through the regular grant application process, outlining your plans for an experience that fits the fund’s criteria. First preference will be given to applicants in their third year of studies, and second preference to students in their second year. Other students will be considered as funding allows.

Jason D. Kogan (Liberal Arts) established this non-endowed fund in honor of his parents, Max and Shirley Kogan, to encourage and create opportunities for undergraduate students to explore museums and the museum field. Funding will be provided through the Student Engagement Network during the three annual granting cycles. Students and faculty-led groups are encouraged to apply for grants of up to $2,000, with higher amounts considered on a case-by-case basis, to participate in one of the following museum-based experiences:

  1. Museum visits
  2. Museum internships
  3. Professional Museum Conferences.

General Requirements:

  • The museum-based experiences (visits, internships, or conferences) must be in the United States at either art museums, history or anthropological museums, or science museums.
  • The museum-based experiences must be located away from the student’s home campus.
  • It is preferred that the museums be accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, but it is not necessary.

Additional Requirements for Museum Visits:

Students must plan to visit at least five museums, if requesting funding solely to visit museums, and allow sufficient time to adequately experience the museums’ collections and exhibitions. In addition:

  1. Students must pre-arrange a meeting to interview at least one museum professional at at least one of the museums visited.
  2. Students must take part in at least one museum tour or guided experience at at least one of the museums visited.
  3. Students must participate in at least two museum programs organized by at least one of the museums visited either in-person or virtually before or after their visit.

Additional Requirements for Museum Internships:

  1. Internships must include at least 50 hours working in a museum.
  2. Students must interview at least one museum professional during their internship experience.

Additional Requirements for Professional Museum Conferences:

  1. If students request funding to attend a professional museum conference, they must make at least one significant contact with a museum professional at the conference who can assist in the student’s career aspirations.
  2. The museum conference can be at the national, regional, or state level.