Welcome Rebecca!

The Elkhart County Parks announces the hiring of Rebecca Oestreich for the position of Curator of Education at the Elkhart County Historical Museum.

Oestreich comes to Elkhart County from Burnsville, Minnesota after the completion of coursework towards a masters’ degree in Anthropology and a Certificate in Museum Studies at UW-Milwaukee.

During Oestreich’s graduate studies, she focused on museum education, cultural studies, and sustainable development. Her training includes courses at the Milwaukee Public Museum and internships at the Mount Hood Cultural Center and Museum, Waukesha County Historical Museum, and the Minnesota Historical Society.

“We are delighted to have Rebecca join our staff,” says Museum Director Nick Hoffman. “Hiring a professionally trained museum educator solidifies our desire to better support county educators and provide improved learning services to our residents.”

Expanding programming, updating tours, and increasing public outreach by fostering relationships with county schools and organizations are central to Oestreich’s goals. She also hopes to revamp and strengthen the volunteer program.

“The Elkhart County Historical Museum is publically funded and therefore really belongs to the community. I hope to get more people involved with the museum both as visitors and volunteers,” Oestreich says.

Oestreich sees education as the key component to any museum. She believes in the importance of lifelong learning and hopes to reach out to people of all ages and all backgrounds. She recognizes that people go to museums for a variety of reasons and understands that there are different learning styles for each visitor. Providing an assortment of educational opportunities and incorporating interactive exhibit elements are some of the ways Oestreich hopes to improve the museum’s appeal.

“I strongly believe in making museums interesting and relevant to everyone,” says Oestreich, “I want to raise awareness of this amazing resource people have right in their own backyard where they can not only learn about the past but also have fun in the process.”