After graduation, Ginger hopes to be a Collection Manager or a Curator at a museum. In her free time, Ginger likes to write fiction, ride her bike, lay in her hammock on campus, or hang out with friends.

Get to know Ginger

  • Major: M.S. in Apparel, Design, and Merchandising; emphasis on fashion history and museum studies
  • Class: Second Year Master’s
  • Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
  • Career Goal: Collections Manager or Curator at a museum
  • Clubs/activities: AMD Graduate Association, Black Graduate Student Association
  • Awards/honors: Agatha Huepenbecker Burnet Graduate Teaching and Research Assistantship, Pearson Memorial Scholarship, Herren Graduate Fellowship
  • Favorite place on campus: The Textiles and Clothing Museum collection in Morrill Hall 0017
  • Most influential ISU mentor: Dr. Kelly Reddy-Best
  • Favorite class: AMD 562X Fashion Studies Culture, Industry, and Social Justice
  • Why Iowa State: Large university setting, the campus, and the opportunity to work in a fashion collection. 

Driven by her experiences abroad and professional opportunities at home, Ginger Stanciel solidified her passion for working in museums and conducting object research during her undergraduate degree at Kent State. Now, as a second-year Master’s student in Apparel, Merchandising, and Design with an emphasis on fashion history and museum studies, Ginger reflects on how her role as a graduate research assistant in the Textiles and Clothing Museum has shaped her experience as a student and prepared her for her future career. 

“From learning how to mount an exhibition with lights and object labels, to facilitating curator talks and making a programming calendar, everything I’ve been able to do only helps make me a stronger future hire,” Ginger said.

Combining the skills and practices taught in the classroom with real-world experience has helped Ginger approach museum research and exhibition development in new ways. 

“My classes have really been helpful in giving me a wide skill set that will be infinitely useful in the numerous tasks that are required of me as a curatorial researcher or working with historic textiles in a collection,” Ginger said.

Ginger advises others who are interested in a similar area of study or career path to take classes in different areas related to history.

“Be it art history, historical literature, or fashion history, they all help give a new perspective on a potential object you might work with or research in a museum,” Ginger said.

Aside from class and her work in the museum, Ginger is involved in the AMD Graduate Association and the Black Graduate Student Association and received the Agatha Huepenbecker Burnet Graduate Teaching and Research Assistantship. 

Check out the exhibition Ginger co-curated, Fashion Forward: Centering Justice in Fashion History.