Lisa (Howison) Coleman
“Like a lot of people who graduated in 2009, the path to getting an actual job was a little rough.”
Lisa (Howison) Coleman graduated with an HTC B.A. in Anthropology in 2009 from Ohio University and with an M.Ed. degree from George Mason University in 2011.
“I’d finished a two-year stint teaching preschool through Teach for America and moved from Washington, D.C. back to the Midwest.
“My job search wasn’t helped by the fact that I didn’t know what I wanted to do – only that I was a pretty awful teacher, and I wanted to somehow use my anthropology degree.
Working at a Museum
“Luckily, I found out what I wanted when I landed a job at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. The person who called me about a part-time position was actually excited about my degrees in “education and anthropology,” which was a first. By the time I’d gotten through my second interview, I had fallen in love with the museum.
“My first role here, as a gallery facilitator, was definitely not glamorous.
“Sure, I was able to put my degree to use and watching families learn together was incredibly fulfilling; however, there were the inevitable aspects of any public-facing job – long weekend hours, enormous strollers, and occasional “bio-spills.”
“Despite these challenges, I was excited to walk into work every morning. I realized I loved The Children’s Museum and that I was exactly where I wanted to be.
“As a gallery facilitator, information coordinator and now project coordinator, I’ve been part of some extraordinary things.
“I ran a century-old carousel, performed as a terra cotta warrior, and hosted a group of Buddhist monks.
“My coworkers are an incredible group of educators, performers, scientists, administrators and curators, and I can see myself building a career among them.
Anything is Possible
“It’s exhilarating to work in a place where just about anything is possible.
“My job now is not at all what I’d pictured for myself while I was studying anthropology at Ohio University.
“Even so, it’s clear to me that my background influences how I approach my work – most importantly, the ideas and theories I encountered in college help me build relationships with just about anyone.
“I advise anthropology students to keep an open mind with regard to their futures. The skills developed in the program are useful in an array of careers.”
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