M10 Pathways
Pathways leadership training program for Museums10 staff
Pathways empower M10 staff to pursue individual learning goals alongside a cohort of peers. Designed to
fit your busy schedule, Pathways is a fun, flexible way to grow professionally.
Learn about Pathways!
View the Pathways Info Session Slide Show
Questions? Want help with your application?
Pathway I: Advanced Museum Practice
Advanced Museum Practice builds leadership capacity through targeted training.
This Pathway is for M10 staff who wish to:
- Deepen expertise to advance in your field.
- Gain skills in adjacent museum areas to become more versatile and collaborate effectively.
- Strengthen transferable skills or explore a different museum department to prepare for a career shift.
- *Check with your supervisor to find out if you are eligible to participate.
In this four-month, 25 - 30 hour program participants will:
- Select a learning focus and attend two professional development workshops from the M10 Professional Development Menu or a professional association.
- Connect with peers and receive support in monthly Zoom cohort meetings (1 hr. each).
- Get matched with a potential mentor for one coffee meeting.
- Track your progress through asynchronous online discussion and brief written reflection.
- Share a topic of interest with M10 colleagues in a 10 min. Capstone Skill-sharing presentation or discussion.
Certificates of Completion will be presented at the Pathways Celebration Luncheon in Summer 2027.
View the Pathways Info Session slides. Questions? Book a brief consultation.
How to Participate: Ask your supervisor if you are eligible. Submit an application by the deadline for your preferred cohort (details below).
Pathway II: Museum Practicum
The Practicum builds leadership skills through hands-on, project-based learning. Applicants may lead an individual project or apply with colleagues.
This Pathway is for M10 staff who wish to:
- Learn by doing.
- Benefit from peer accountability to complete a career-advancing project.
- Increase the visibility of your work or your museum in professional networks.
- Advance an initiative through a focused, short term effort.
- (Optional) Collaborate with colleagues at your museum or other M10 museums.
- *Check with your supervisor to find out if you are eligible to participate.
You may focus on a project included in your regular work or outside your area of expertise. Projects must develop career-advancing skills.
Example Practicum Projects:
- Prepare a proposal or presentation for a professional conference.
- Create an exhibition, collections, or outreach plan.
- Develop a report on visitation, development, or engagement.
- Teach a workshop on a topic of your choice.
- (M6 museums) Design Discovery Portal instructional materials for faculty, arts librarians, and students and map out an outreach plan to campus communities.
- Unique ideas encouraged!
In this four-month program participants will:
- Implement a practicum project (or a phase of the project) to advance your career goals.
- Connect with peers and receive support in monthly Zoom cohort meetings.
- Design a project plan including goals, a timeline, and evaluation.
- Track your progress through asynchronous online discussion and brief written reflection.
- Share your project with M10 colleagues with a Practicum Presentation or Poster Session.
Time commitment varies by project. Aim for approx. 25 - 35 hours over four months.
Certificates of Completion will be presented at the Pathways Celebration Luncheon in Summer 2027.
View the Pathways Info Session slides. Questions? Book a brief consultation.
How to Participate: Ask your supervisor if you are eligible. Submit an application by the deadline for your preferred cohort (details below).
Application
Apply for Pathways!
Both Pathways (1: Advanced Museum Practices & 2: Museum Practicum) are offered in Fall 2026 and Spring 2027.
Apply by Mon. Aug. 3rd for the Fall 2026 Cohort.
Apply by Mon. Dec. 14th for the Spring 2027 Cohort.
FAQ
Each Museums10 museum has specific eligibility requirements. Ask your supervisor if you are eligible to participate.
Terre Parker, Museums10 Workforce Development Associate Project Director annd an ad hoc committee from the M10 Workforce Development Committee will review your application. Museum Directors will make the final decision on Pathways admission.
Contact your museum's Workforce Development Point Person or Terre Parker, Museums10 Workforce Development Associate Project Director, to learn more about Pathways.
Ask your supervisor if you are eligible to participate. We suggest you schedule a meeting with your supervisor to consider how Pathways would advance your career and how it would fit with your work schedule.
For more information, view the Pathways Info Session slides. Questions? Book a consultation with Terre Parker.
Applications for the Fall 2026 cohort are due Monday, August 3rd. Applications for the Spring 2027 cohort are due Monday, December 14th.
Both Pathway 1: Advanced Museum Practices and Pathway 2: Museum Practicum are offered in Fall 2026 and Spring 2027.
You may be asked to adjust your learning goal or Practicum proposal to best fit the resources available through M10.
The Advanced Museum Practice Pathway includes a requirement to complete two trainings/workshops from the M10 Professional Development Menu or a professional association. (The Practicum Pathway does not include this requirement.)
Select trainings/workshops from the M10 Professional Development Menu and name them in your application. If your museum has a membership to a professional association that offers online workshops, those may also count towards Pathways. Propose the specific workshops in your application.
Previous M10 trainings may count towards Pathways completion, contact Terre Parker with questions.
Terre Parker will facilitate the two asynchronous online discussions and advise participants through bi-monthly zoom advising hours. Peer cohorts will meet independently and collaborate on progress reports to Terre Parker. Depending on your project or learning focus, you may be connected with M10 colleagues who have relevant expertise.
Funding is available for up to 20 M10 staff members to attend or present at a professional conference occurring no later than June 2027. Once accepted into a Pathway, museum staff are eligible to apply for funding. Up to $575 registration fees and $1250 travel expenses is available per person. Fall 2026 Pathways participants have the greatest chance to receive funding.