Kim Traversi Education Fund
Promoting learning for students and beginning professionals
Established in memory of educator and California Museum docent Kimberley Rathjen Traversi (1966 – 2021), this fund directly supports Museum-based learning for under-served students and beginning professionals pursuing a career in museum education.
The California Museum’s team of educators is dedicated to delivering meaningful programming to the museum’s diverse audiences. You too can help provide learning experiences to underserved students of all ages by giving to the Kim Traversi Education Fund. Each year, the fund provides scholarships for California Title I classes to participate in the California Missions specialized field trip program. The fund also supports paid internships in the Museum’s education department.
Meet Makenna Morris, our inaugural Traversi Fund intern and current Lead Educator
My journey from Traversi Fund intern to Lead Educator began as a first-generation college student. My parents, who never attended college, emphasized the importance of education, seeing it as the key to a fulfilling career—something they never had. With a passion for history, I recognized its value in understanding our present and shaping a better future. When I transferred to Sac State, I knew I wanted a career promoting historical education, and museums seemed the perfect place to achieve that.
As a senior in college, I became an intern at the California Museum, marking my first foray into museum work and alternative education. The Traversi Fund Internship was life-changing, providing hands-on experience that confirmed my desire to educate children on historical subjects often overlooked in classrooms. This opportunity was pivotal, steering my career toward museum education.
The internship led to a full-time position at the museum, fulfilling my dream of a career I could be proud of. I became the first in my family to earn a Bachelor’s Degree and secure a full-time role in a museum. As an Education Assistant, I led programs, including the “Missions” project, and witnessed students’ excitement and engagement with history. In just nine months, I was promoted to Lead Educator, where I’ve implemented my ideas and enriched students’ knowledge through various programs.
I am fortunate to have progressed so quickly, recognizing that it was a combination of hard work and opportunity. The Traversi Fund Internship was the catalyst, opening doors and setting me on the path to success.
-Makenna Morris
2022-23 Traversi Fund Intern and current Lead Educator at the California Museum