MOLINE, ILLINOIS (August 12, 2026) — The Museum Studies Graduate Program at Western Illinois University-Quad Cities (WIU-QC) has been awarded a $249,694 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to launch Building Capacity Through Apprenticeship and Microcredentials: An Integrated Workforce Development Model for Museum Professionals.
The three-year project, funded through IMLS' 21st Century Museum Professionals Program, will run from September 2026 through August 2029 and represents a total investment of $510,754, including matching cost share.
The project will connect graduate education with professional opportunities through paid, year-long apprenticeships for eight WIU-QC graduate students at four host museums. It will also offer a micro-credential workshop series designed to reach 250 museum professionals across the Midwest, with topics ranging from collections management to institutional sustainability.
Project partners include the Figge Art Museum, the Putnam Museum, the German American Heritage Center, and the QC Botanical Center. Regional support is provided by the Iowa Museum Association, the Association of Midwest Museums, and the Illinois Association of Museums.
“Museums are only as strong as the people who run them. This grant lets us invest directly in that talent pipeline, through paid apprenticeships for our graduate students, micro-credential training for working professionals, and stronger partnerships across our regional museums. Everyone benefits,” said Heidi Lung, director of the WIU-QC Museum Studies Graduate Program.
The WIU-QC Museum Studies Graduate Program is the only interdisciplinary graduate museum studies program in the Iowa-Illinois bi-state region, preparing students for museum careers through hands-on, experiential partnerships with regional institutions.
For more information on WIU’s Museum Studies program, visit wiu.edu/MuseumStudies.
