Hi, there! I'm Karen Breece
Meet Me
I believe museums are good for the soul. I help people discover themselves and their world through community-engaged audience research, meaningful public programs, and compelling exhibits. I am an experienced informal educator with interpretive writing and visitor studies experience, and am proud to work for organizations making a difference in the lives of the people who visit them.
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If you would like to know more about me and how I approach my work, feel free to check out my About page HERE.
Education and Licenses
May 2021
Master of Arts in Museum Studies
Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
GPA: 4.0
Coursework gave a general overview of working in a museum, including museum education, collections care, fundraising, and visitor studies.
May 2019
Bachelor of Arts in History
Minors in Museum Studies and Art History
Earlham College
GPA: 3.98
Here, I received a liberal arts education and earned awards, including being elected to Phi Beta Kappa. I studied abroad in both France and Taiwan. My extracurriculars included singing in the college choir and being an editor for the college's historical journal.
May 2017 - May 2021
Certified Interpretive Guide (C.I.G.)
National Association of Interpretation
This is an informal education credential that certifies that I know the basics of informal education. To earn it, I had to develop a 10-minute educational program and submit it to a licensing board.
September 2020 - September 2025
Certification required to do social and behavioral research by Indiana University IRB. Completion demonstrates that I am familiar with research ethics regarding human subjects. I have applied this knowledge to the evaluation projects I have done at IUPUI and the Indianapolis Zoo.
Past Experience
Would you like a PDF of my resume instead? Click HERE.
August 2020 - May 2021
Interpretive Writing and Evaluation Fellow
Indianapolis Zoo
Drafts and edits copy for temporary Zoo signage and publications
Coordinates signage projects between Zoo departments
Collects observation data on exhibits and animal presentations
Cleans, organizes, and analyzes visitor observation data to prepare written evaluation reports
Presents evaluation data to staff and internal stakeholders
Provides support for educational programs and seasonal events
January 2021 - May 2021
Community Engagement Associate
Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
Assists Dr. Lois Silverman, Professor of Museum Studies, with evaluating the partnership between her Museums, Health, and Well-being class and a social service agency
Uses qualitative data analysis to evaluate the service-learning pedagogy used in the course
Prepared an IRB application detailing the risks and benefits of a study of routine educational practices for participating students
August 2019 - February 2020
Audience Research Associate
Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields
Collected exit and exhibition surveys from museum visitors in order to support Newfields' audience research
Built customer service skills by interacting with visitors in a warm and helpful way, giving them directions, and answering questions about museum events and exhibits
August 2016 - May 2019
Outreach Staff
The Joseph Moore Museum at Earlham College
Researched and designed interpretative programs promoting science education focusing on women scientists from Indiana
Co-led 12 hour-long public programs at an educational center for girls aimed at fostering girls’ interest in future careers in science and technology
Led public programs aimed at educating museum visitors, including school tours, activity stations at museum events, and planetarium shows
A thought to leave you with:
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"Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry with us, or we find it not."