Student Lecturer and Docent Program

What is a Student Docent?

A student docent is a paid museum tour guide specially trained to give tours and lead art making activities for school groups K-12.

Student docents participate in exhibition research, a training course, and learning workshops to prepare to give tours to school groups at the museum. Additionally all student docents will be required to volunteer to assist with at least two public programs each quarter.  Programs include lectures, panel discussion, family workshops, and other programs.  Student Docents will serve as assistants, greeters, tour guides and other posts during these events.

Students will receive quarterly stipends for this program. Unpaid internship credit is also available in the fall for those students who are declared Art History majors. This position is yearly, from the fall through spring quarter. There are opportunities to continue working during the summer as well. We highly encourage freshman and sophomores to apply. 

• Fall Quarter
  The fall training will consist of a eight-session training class with readings and tour observations. Classes will take place on Thursday evenings from 5 to 7 pm from October 1 through November 19 at the Block Museum. In addition, students will be required to observe at least two tours during the fall quarter. Training will teach students how to give tours and lead art-making workshops for kindergarten through high school classes. During the fall quarter, students are eligible to apply their participation in the program for undergraduate internship credit in Art History. Participants who receive an internship credit will not be paid during the fall quarter; students who do not register for the internship credit will be paid for attending training sessions. Fall training sessions are MANDATORY to participate in this program. Upon completion of the training class, each student docent will be evaluated on their progress and approved to give tours accordingly.
  


• Winter and Spring Quarters
  During the winter and spring quarters, students will be paid a quarterly stipend for leading tours, attending exhibition training, and volunteering at programs. During these quarters students will work 2 to 5 hours a week. This includes all training, touring and program assistance. This position is structured so that students can have other jobs during the quarter as well. Tours usually will take place between 10 am and 1 pm on Tuesdays through Fridays during the school year. Students in the program should be available at least 2 days during the week. Optional field trips and learning opportunities will also take place during these quarters.
  
  NOTE: After your first year of participation, you will give tours during the fall quarter. The training class is for first-year participants only. After your first year, you will be paid for giving tours and attending exhibition trainings during all three quarters.
  
  
• How to Apply
  Applications for this program are now being accepted. The application deadline is May 22, 2009. Please send completed applications to
  s-prajapati@northwestern.edu
  
  Download application as a pdf or MS Word document.
  
  Upon application review, select applicants will be contacted for an in-person interview. This program is for part-time or full-time undergraduate students at Northwestern University only. Please direct any questions to Sheetal Prajapati, Director of Educational Programs, at s-prajapati@northwestern.edu.