We were proud to return as a Sustaining Sponsor and to spend the week surrounded by museum partners who care deeply about preserving Kansas stories. We were also proud to present at this year’s conference, where Dr. Mary Kohn and Chapman Center student researchers, Dakota Boyles and Steven Walsh, shared their work alongside our former office assistant Kim Westcott, now director of the Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum. It was such a joy to reconnect with Kim and see the amazing work she's doing in her field.

Their presentation, “Making Internships Work: Collaborating with Students and Universities,” explored how internships can serve as powerful bridges between students and museums. They shared thoughtful, practical strategies for funding, supervision, logistics, and project planning, all drawn from real experiences working with museums across the state.

We’re grateful for the conversations, connections, and inspiration this conference always brings. Great Bend welcomed us so warmly, and we’re already looking forward to the next time we might get to “meet in the middle.”