CEA Marissa Hamm

Launching a collaboration

The Museum of Broken Relationships Indianapolis

Meet Marissa Hamm

Marissa Hamm is currently a second-year master's student, who is on track to graduate in May 2023 from the School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI with a master's degree in museum studies. During the 2022–23 academic year, she participated in the Community Engagement Associates (CEA) Program, under the mentorship of Lois Silverman, Ph.D., and Laura Holzman, Ph.D.

As a CEA, Marissa is serving as the programs and project manager for the Museum of Broken Relationships Indianapolis (MBRI), which is a unique collaboration between the Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb, Croatia, the Museum Studies Program at IUPUI, and Herron Galleries. The project collected stories and objects from the Indianapolis community that tell stories of heartbreak—whether that be romantic, familial, personal, or any other type.

These collected objects and stories are now part of the exhibition housed in Herron Galleries on campus. In addition to the exhibit, there are multiple programs being offered throughout the spring semester that are part of the MBRI project, which is where Marissa has supported the international project.

Through the CEA program, Marissa worked closely with Dr. Silverman's fall 2022 Museum Education course to plan and implement programs throughout the duration of the MBRI exhibit. Her work involved a great deal of logistical planning, including communicating with community partners and ensuring smooth event operations. Marissa is also working to design and refine student-created online resources to increase the reach and accessibility of the exhibit within the Indianapolis community.

One of the ongoing challenges of community-engaged work is making sure that every community collaborator is seen, heard, and accommodated.

Although the project was rewarding, Marissa did encounter difficulties influenced by the mere scope and size of the project. In the reality of project planning, Marissa admits "working within a budget is always difficult when you have big dreams!" She also addressed the challenges of adhering to timelines and satisfying community partner goals. She quickly learned that reviewing expectations and plans throughout the whole process is necessary in any community project.

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Q & A with Marissa Hamm

I learned that I really enjoy helping ideas come to life. The process of working with other team members and community members to see a vision come to fruition is very fulfilling work, and although it can have its points of stress, seeing the visitors at each event fully engaged and enjoying the program makes it all worth it.

Every single week looked different! In the fall semester, a lot of my time was spent researching, emailing, and creating planning documents leading up to the exhibit. The spring semester has been much more chaotic, and I am thankful for all of the planning we did in the fall.

I spend a lot of my time pulling together the remaining logistics and then helping to set up, run, and take down the events. I also spend a good deal of time designing products for our online resources and in-person activities. The one consistent thing is weekly meetings with my supervisor to brainstorm new ideas and make sure we're on the same page!

The highlight so far was seeing our first event take place. The event, "A Fair of the Heart: Valentine's Night with the Museum of Broken Relationships Indianapolis," took place on February 14 at Herron Galleries and included multiple fun activity tables, two student-led workshops, and the gallery was open after hours. A lot of planning went into the event, and it turned out so well. Everyone who attended had a smile on their face, and it was a joy to see the students succeed in offering their programs to real audiences.

Being a CEA affords you an opportunity to be a part of a project that is very different than what you would experience in a classroom. It makes you feel more connected to Indianapolis and the many community members who live here. All around, it is a rewarding experience to be a part of—plus it helps to build your professional resume!

CEA Marissa Hamm

Launching a collaboration

Meet Marissa Hamm

Q & A with Marissa Hamm

What is one thing you learned about yourself during your participation in the CEA Program?

What did your day-to-day look like as a CEA?

What was the highlight of your time as a CEA?

What is one key takeaway you would like other students to know about your time as a CEA?

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