The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, our pride and joy as East Tennessee residents, not only has our beautiful mountains for viewing, but multiple museums or programs available to enlighten us to its history.
When we visit a museum or a ranger-led program for example, we should notice a uniformity of process in protocols, regardless of location, greeter or presenter. Those might include the visitor welcome, exhibit information, safety measures, accessibility, etc. These protocols for museums in our national parks are determined by the Museum Management Program, a division of the National Park Service.
Miranda Elliott, 24, was just a teenager when I met her as a Halls High sophomore. Smart, funny and goal oriented, she pursued history at the University of Tennessee, continuing on with public history at Middle Tennessee State University. She followed with an application to the American Conservation Experience to work with the National Park Service for the Washington office.
It’s a dream come true; Miranda is working for the National Catalog for the National Park Service as a museum management program fellow. In this position she processes the national catalog submissions for each fiscal year in which each park submits its edited or new object records.
Miranda says, “Working for the American Conservation Experience and the National Park Service has been a dream come true. Being able to fulfill what I’ve worked so hard for has been amazing. All the thanks to my supervisor and other staff that are part of the Museum of Management Program.”
Miranda looks forward to using all her new-found knowledge when her fellowship ends and this hands-on experience near Washington, D.C., will certainly further her next career opportunity, whatever it may be.
I, for one, look forward to following her journey ahead.
All of us have a story and I want to tell yours! Send them to susan@knoxtntoday.com