St. John earns residency at National Museum of the American Indian

Isaac St. John of Houlton was selected for an 18-month paid curatorial residency at the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) in Washington, D.C. The museum sought applicants for an entry level Native American museum professional interested in pursuing museum careers or those early in established careers who felt they would benefit from the residency.
St. John demonstrated his commitment to the museum profession through academic preparation, experience with paid or volunteer work at museums or community cultural centers, experience with exhibits and/or collections research and/or a track record of community based scholarship. He will join the staff of the NMAI Museum Scholarship Group and will be assigned to exhibition development and/or collections research projects under the supervision of staff from the Museum Scholarship Group. He will enjoy all the privileges and responsibilities of the museum’s professional staff. Work assignments will be created to assist with the development of professional skills necessary to the curatorial profession.
Consideration was given to candidates who could demonstrate how their experience will benefit their communities. St. John’s essay stated that he would use this experience to come back and work for his tribe, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, by helping set up an archaeology and preservation program and trying to create a museum for the tribes in the area.
St. John is a 2009 graduate from Houlton High School and a 2013 graduate of Bates College in Lewiston. He is the son of Cathy and Scott St. John.