Marjean Cone, the new Curator of Education for the Georgia Southern Museum, started her role last semester in Fall 2024 with a primary mission to make historical learning more hands-on.
Originally from the suburbs of Chicago, she holds an undergraduate degree in geology from the University of Illinois and a master's degree from the University of Georgia, where her research focused on changes in ancient plant communities.
Her path to this role was driven by a passion for paleontology. Before coming to Statesboro, Cone's professional travels took her across diverse landscapes—from Australia to Ecuador and throughout rural areas of the United States, leading various paleontology camps.
"Those camps are how I realized I loved the education aspect of it, and research is really awesome and really important, but not if you can't communicate it. My passion really lies in sharing it with others, especially with kiddos, and seeing them get excited about [paleontology] too," she explained.
Cone's journey began early. "I figured that out really young. I was one of those kids who knew I wanted to be a Paleontologist, I wanted to work with fossils, and I actually stuck with it. When I was in high school, my parents sent me to a two-week paleontology camp in Kansas, and I got to part excavate a part of a Mosasaurus when I was just 16, and that locked me in. I knew this was it."
As curator of education, Cone oversees the museum's natural history and cultural collections and manages the yearly changing exhibit, which comes to life through a partnership with a graphic design class. The museum's small professional team—comprising Cone, Dr. Brent Tharp, and Lashanda Hicks-Griffin—embraces a collaborative approach.
"What's really fun about this job, when you're in a small museum, there's only me, Brent, and Lashanda, so everyone wears all of the hats at all of the different times, but that's part of what drew me to the job: this overarching sense of collaboration and tight-knit teamwork," she shared.
Community outreach is a key focus. Last fall, they launched the "Monsters and Mad Scientists" program, inspired by the museum's successful annual Shark Week.
"I was inspired by the annual Shark Week that they [the museum] hosts. A part of what makes it so successful is that it's a pop culture reference. And I think that's a great strategy. I think, 'What's something that everyone has a grasp of?' If we can draw people in with something interactive, or culturally relevant, then have a higher chance of successfully getting them involved in all the great programs and resources we have to offer to the students and the community at large."
Cone is committed to expanding the museum's reach. Her strategies include enhancing social media presence, creating college student-focused events, participating in local STEM nights, developing more outreach programs, and fostering community partnerships.
One such partnership is with the Statesboro Kiwanis Club, which funds Project Eaglet—a five-year program bringing K-5 students to immersive learning spaces on the university campus, including the museum, Botanic Garden, Wildlife Center, Planetarium, and Performing Arts Center.
"A big goal for me is to get people in here who have never been before. To have them touching the fossils, and participating in a guided tour. Because once they've come, I'm certain they'll find something they connect with, are inspired by, or find a new passion for," Cone said.