Anne Bennett has loved art most of her life, but since she became a medical student at the U, she hasn’t been able to find time to enjoy it.
Thanks to a volunteer opportunity for students at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Bennett can stay involved in her hobby.
“I thought this would be a nice opportunity to continue with art,” she said.
The Utah Museum of Fine Arts is currently recruiting for its fall docent training programs. Docents are students, as well as members from the community, who volunteer their time and give tours of the museum’s exhibits.
Bennett has been a weekend volunteer at the museum for three years. She jumped at the chance to share works of art with others.
“I love getting to hear other peoples’ opinions on art that I have been looking at for years,” she said. Students can volunteer during the week or weekend. The weekend volunteer positions are usually more popular with students because the shifts fit into their schedules better, said Amy Edwards, volunteer coordinator for the museum.
Volunteers at the museum lead most of the drop-in tours, she said. Volunteers are not required to have a background in art, just a love of learning and teaching about art.
Edwards said many volunteers enjoy learning about art and sharing it with others.
“(This) gives them a forum to share it with others,” she said.
By volunteering, students gain experience of working in a museum that will look good on a resume, Edwards said.
UMFA has a variety of student volunteers, as well as art majors. “We also have people come from the Medical School, people from the sciences. Volunteers come from all over.”
Bennett, who was glad to find the program, adjusted her schedule to fit medical school requirements.
“It is a good way to balance what I see in the hospital,” she said.
Edwards said about 25 volunteers sign up every year. Weekend volunteers commit an hour and a half every month for training and giving guided tours.
Volunteer schedules are flexible to accommodate the life of a college student. UMFA also provides a weekly training meeting for volunteers so they can answer questions that might come their way during tours.
Weekday volunteers spend three hours each week giving tours and stay for two training meetings a week.
The volunteer sign-up deadline is Sept. 26. Volunteers will begin giving tours in late October.
For information on how to get involved, contact Amy Edwards at [email protected].
Greg HarlowVolunteering at the UMFA has given many busy art lovers a way to stay connected during their busy schedule. Docents receive training on how to share their love of art with all age groups that visit the museum for tours.