Teaching & Learning
Cultivating Curiosity Through Inquiry
TAMIU Dance Program Open House
April 2026 | Texas A&M International University
About
The Dance Open House was an interdisciplinary outreach initiative developed in partnership with the TAMIU Dance Program to introduce prospective and current students to both the University's dance curriculum and the library's role in supporting creative scholarship, research, and student success.
Rather than presenting the library as a separate campus resource, the event positioned the library as an active educational partner within the performing arts. Working collaboratively with Dance faculty, I developed library experiences that encouraged participants to engage with library spaces, collections, and services through movement, creativity, and exploration.
The project included a combination of instructional activities, library exhibits, interactive stations, and collaborative programming that demonstrated how academic libraries can support artistic disciplines while creating welcoming, memorable experiences for prospective students and their families.
This initiative reflected my broader philosophy that successful outreach is most effective when it aligns library services with the goals, identity, and culture of academic departments rather than simply promoting library resources in isolation.
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This project marked my first opportunity to collaborate directly with Special Collections and Archives after joining Texas A&M International University. Working alongside the Senior Special Collections Librarian reinforced my interest in using exhibitions to connect archival collections with broader audiences. It also demonstrated how strategic outreach and assessment can increase awareness of special collections while supporting the library's educational mission. The experience strengthened my desire to continue developing exhibitions and public programs that make cultural heritage collections more accessible, engaging, and relevant to diverse communities.
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Exhibition Development
Public History
Archives Outreach
Project Management
Campus Partnerships
Strategic Communications
Event Planning
Cultural Heritage Interpretation
Assessment & Evaluation
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Collaborated with the Senior Special Collections Librarian to plan and coordinate the exhibition opening.
Developed marketing and outreach strategies to increase campus awareness and attendance.
Coordinated promotional materials and event communications.
Assisted with exhibition logistics and visitor experience planning.
Supported collaboration between library departments and campus stakeholders.
Helped position Special Collections & Archives as a visible contributor to the university's educational mission.
Participated in assessment planning for visitor engagement and outreach impact.
Event set-up for the library's contribution to the Dance Open House.
The Outreach Unit of the Library worked closely with the Dance Program and the Public Relations and Marketing Office to create a promotional video to play during the event.
The activity was centered around creating a personalized book that reflects on the participant's experience with dance.
Students participating in the event activity.
Students working together to work on their personalized books during the event activity.
An image of the event activity table after its conclusion. It was a great crowd of students who participated.
Students participating in the dance portion of the Open House.
The Outreach librarian managing the event table.
A majority of the participants sitting in the dance studio and experiencing the living library part of the event.
New Student Orientation and Dusty Camp
July 2026 | Texas A&M International University
About
The Dusty Camp and New Student Orientation initiative introduced incoming students and their families to the Sue & Radcliffe Killam Library through a coordinated series of orientation events designed to foster belonging, curiosity, and confidence during students' transition to university life.
Recognizing that orientation often shapes students' first impressions of campus resources, I developed an outreach strategy that moved beyond distributing promotional materials. Instead, the library's presence emphasized meaningful engagement through conversation, interactive activities, creative branding, and opportunities for students to begin building relationships with library staff before classes even began.
Working in collaboration with Student Orientation, Leadership, and Engagement (SOLE), library colleagues, and campus partners, the initiative positioned the library as an accessible, student-centered space that supports academic success, exploration, and lifelong learning from a student's first day on campus.
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This project marked my first opportunity to collaborate directly with Special Collections and Archives after joining Texas A&M International University. Working alongside the Senior Special Collections Librarian reinforced my interest in using exhibitions to connect archival collections with broader audiences. It also demonstrated how strategic outreach and assessment can increase awareness of special collections while supporting the library's educational mission. The experience strengthened my desire to continue developing exhibitions and public programs that make cultural heritage collections more accessible, engaging, and relevant to diverse communities.
-
Exhibition Development
Public History
Archives Outreach
Project Management
Campus Partnerships
Strategic Communications
Event Planning
Cultural Heritage Interpretation
Assessment & Evaluation
-
Collaborated with the Senior Special Collections Librarian to plan and coordinate the exhibition opening.
Developed marketing and outreach strategies to increase campus awareness and attendance.
Coordinated promotional materials and event communications.
Assisted with exhibition logistics and visitor experience planning.
Supported collaboration between library departments and campus stakeholders.
Helped position Special Collections & Archives as a visible contributor to the university's educational mission.
Participated in assessment planning for visitor engagement and outreach impact.
The Orientation flyer for new and transfer students.
The front of a set of bookmarks for orientation with a theme adjacent to the orientation theme of exploration.
The back of a set of bookmarks for orientation with a theme adjacent to the orientation theme of exploration.
The outer panel of a brochure for orientation with heavy library branding.
The inside panel of a brochure for orientation with heavy library branding.