Julie Rudolph (1989-1990)

     My name is Julie Rudolph and I worked at the Millet Museum during the summer of 1990. I believe that I heard about the job through the local paper, as there was no internet back then. I remember interviewing with the Millet Museum Board and feeling very excited about receiving a job offer. 

     The job at the museum was an amazing opportunity to gain confidence working with the public, to develop excellent oral and verbal communication, and to be thorough and pay attention to detail. I remember my favorite display was the schoolroom in the basement - there are so many interesting artifacts and history there. One of my jobs was to phone seniors and ask them a series of questions about their lives for a Millet history book the museum was developing. What a humbling experience it was for a young teenager to hear about some of the hardships that these seniors had gone through. I loved the arrival of a new display! I remember crates arriving and the excitement of carefully unwrapping the fragile artifacts and arranging them into a display. This has helped me in my picture hanging ability to this day! This job was a stepping stone for me, as I worked for two summers when I was in university at the Reynolds Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin. One of the summers was before it was open, and the skillset I had learned at the Millet Museum definitely helped me excel at the position. I loved working with my co-worker Libby Vant that summer and I remember we worked well together and laughed a lot! 

     Currently, I am living in Calgary and I have been a teacher for 25 years. I have taught in 5 countries and enjoy travelling with my husband and 2 boys. I still love museums! In fact, every year I take my Grade 7 class to Heritage Park where they become an immigrant for a day. The authentic experience allows them to immerse themselves in the 1800s. I feel it is so important to keep a hand in the past and acknowledge where we come from. My advice to summer students is to soak up the experience, learn as much as you can and have fun! Before you know it, you will be 47 years old and writing a reflection of your time as a summer student 30 years ago!