Wex docent: Kate Sherman

Kate Sherman is a recent The Ohio State University grad from the History of Art Department and a former student docent. Below, Kate shares the impact of touring in the galleries and how her college experiences have led her to pursue an advanced degree at the Art Institute of Chicago.

My experience as a student docent at the Wexner Center for the Arts was one of the most impactful experiences of my college career. As an incoming freshman at Ohio State, I had little to no exposure to art; I had never even been to an art museum. After taking my first history of art class, I was attracted to the intellectual challenges of the subject and decided to declare my major history of art. I noticed the docent class was being offered in the spring semester and chose to take the course, hoping it would help to acclimate me into the art world.

As a docent, I gained confidence in my public speaking abilities, as well as my ability to discuss art with a broad range of audiences, touring groups from 5-year-old children to senior citizens. Hearing the opinions of visitors kept me focused on their involvement and how I could share my passion of art and creativity with the general public in a way that was both accessible and rewarding. Those working in the department always strove to be resources for the docents and challenged us to continue looking at exhibitions differently or approaching the art in a way that may expand our abilities to communicate with our audiences. The experience of working with visitors at the Wex ultimately allowed me to apply knowledge from my academics to the real-world, which kept me focused on opportunities beyond college.

Combined with various internships, my docent experience led me to pursue a career in museum education.  After my graduation from OSU, I will be continuing my studies this autumn at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, working toward a Master of Arts degree in Art Education. I will be specializing in museum education with the hopes of working in an educator role in the visitor experience department of an art museum. Without the experience I was fortunate enough to gain at the Wex, I would not have been nearly as motivated nor prepared to enter into my graduate studies. With more knowledge of what a career in this department may hold, it became much easier to create a path for my future and to stay motivated to achieve my goals. I would highly recommend taking advantage of this wonderful opportunity to any student (or community member) who has a passion for the arts and a want to express this passion with others.

Interested in becoming a student or community docent? Head here to register. Deadline is July 24.