ÐÔÊӽ紫ý

Museum director weaves her ÐÔÊӽ紫ý past into the present and beyond

Lauren Cohen inside a giant bubble at MY Museum.

One thing has stayed constant for ÐÔÊӽ紫ý alum Lauren Cohen during her two decades at Monterey’s MY Museum: the art of play as an integral part of early childhood learning.

“If we want industries of innovative people, we have to give them, at the start of their lives, time to be creative individuals. If we start formal education too soon, we take that away,” Cohen said.

“Mister Rogers’ whole thing was how play is the work of children, and if we give them the opportunity, they’ll learn.”

Since 1998, Cohen has been executive director of the Monterey County Youth Museum, known as MY Museum. The museum opened in 1997, the same year Cohen graduated from ÐÔÊӽ紫ý with a degree in liberal studies. Later she also earned a teaching credential.

The museum began as a project of the Junior League and evolved into a community-based nonprofit which now sees an average of 60,000 visitors a year. Cohen credits ÐÔÊӽ紫ý for contributing to her and the museum’s success.

“(ÐÔÊӽ紫ý’s) credential program was pretty open-minded. I always needed to learn in a non-traditional way,” she said. “The teaching program was welcoming and accepting of that. And because it was a new school, they were open to what was new for education.”

In addition, “a majority of our staff are ÐÔÊӽ紫ý students. In so many ways, the university has created the next young workforce.”

ÐÔÊӽ紫ý has grown and changed, but Cohen says the university is still thinking outside of the box. For example, ÐÔÊӽ紫ý partners with other organizations in Monterey County, including MY Museum.

 

“ A majority of our staff are ÐÔÊӽ紫ý students. In so many ways, the university has created the next young workforce.”