The edelman fossil park and museum will provide structured professional development for staff, volunteers, and community apprentices

The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded Rowan University $529,980 on September 1, 2026, under the Museums for America program (CFDA 45.301) to support structured professional development at the Edelman Fossil Park and Museum in Glassboro, New Jersey.

The project delivers a series of professional development workshops and training modules for museum staff, volunteers, and community apprentices through August 31, 2029. Activities include interactive workshops on visitor engagement, safety and emergency procedures, and object-based learning with fossils and live animals. The museum will recruit apprentices from the community for workforce development programming and career pathway training. Deliverables include a staff orientation video and updated standard operating procedures. Project results will be disseminated through conference presentations and curricula sharing with peer organizations.

Project activities include a series of professional development workshops and production of training modules including workforce development activities and career pathways for apprentices recruited from the community to participate in the workforce development program. Project participants will engage in interactive workshops about visitor engagement as well as safety and emergency procedures. To improve educational programming at the museum, staff and volunteers engaged in the project will receive training in object-based learning with fossils and live animals. Deliverables for the project will include a staff orientation video and updated standard operating procedures. Staff will disseminate project results by giving conference presentations and sharing project curricula for the professional development initiative with peer organizations.