Meet Logan

Hello, my name is Logan Zimmerman. I am 26 years old and a second-year graduate student in my final semester at IU Indy’s Museum Studies Master's program. I was born on December 5, 1999, and raised in Hobart, Indiana, in the northwestern part of the state. I am diagnosed with ADHD and Autism. However, I don’t let my autism take me down, especially when it comes to following my dreams and living my life. 

Originally, I wanted to be a history teacher because I was always inspired by what they did, and it got me into learning. However, after my sophomore year at Valparaiso University, I realized I was not ready to become a teacher. This was during the COVID pandemic, and wanting to find myself, I decided to take a gap year. Before I went back to Valpo, I went on a vacation to the UP in Michigan. There, I visited the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum in Whitefish Point. I loved the museum so much that after I got my degree, I wanted to find a job in a museum. I graduated with a history degree from Valparaiso University in December 2022.

Finding a place to work with a history degree is very tricky, especially in Northwest Indiana, where there is not much to do, and not many museums to work there. Unless you want to go to Chicago, which was not an option. For a while, I just stayed and worked at my local grocery store while I figured things out. Then, in April 2024, I found out that IU Indy had a master's program in museum studies for graduate students. I reached out, and within two months, I was added to the Graduate Program. 

I found the Harrison Center because I had a problem beforehand. My old internship was cut short due to funding issues. I had to find another one so I could be able to graduate on time. Luckily, the Harrison Center was happy to hire me, and I am grateful for this opportunity. As an intern, I am working in the digital collections department.

My mission here is to help transcribe, edit videos, and transfer files from one hard drive to another for the Polklore Micro-Museum that the Harrison Center manages. I am currently working on my second transcript and will document my progress along the way. Being someone with autism, you tend to have either people look down on you or support you anyway they can. I am grateful to receive the letter from the Harrison Center, as this new experience and internship will help me advance my career and job prospects for the foreseeable future.