Toledo Museum of Art KeyBank Museum Fellowship awarded to Asmaa Walton

Asmaa Walton has been named the first KeyBank Museum Fellow at the Toledo Museum of Art. Walton, who recently completed her master’s degree in art politics from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, is from Detroit. The KeyBank Museum Fellowship at the Toledo Museum of Art was established in 2014 to promote and develop diversity in the museum industry. It provides a year-long fellowship to diverse candidates pursuing a career in museums, cultural institutions or related fields.

The KeyBank Museum Fellowship builds on TMA’s longstanding commitment to leadership training by expanding the Museum’s existing fellowship program, which provides executive-level training, mentoring and experience to post-doctoral candidates. The new fellowship is designed to train leaders from underrepresented groups to enhance connections between museums and their communities.

As the first KeyBank Museum Fellow, Walton will receive hands-on experience inside a museum setting, working with staff on exhibitions, collections and programmatic offerings. She was selected from a highly qualified international pool of more than 15 candidates.

“Ms. Walton has, throughout the early years of her career, maintained an inspiring commitment to education and diversity in the arts,” said Lynn Miller, associate director at Toledo Museum of Art. “Her deep interest in further developing the Museum’s educational programs made her an ideal candidate for this groundbreaking fellowship. She is thoughtful, smart and passionate about making a difference. We are thrilled and proud to have her join our team.”

Walton received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Michigan State University, where she majored in art education. She was a volunteer art instructor and teaching assistant, while also serving as a commissioner for the East Lansing Arts Commission. While pursuing her master’s degree at Tisch, she served as an education associate at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. She was also the Toledo Museum of Art’s education and engagement intern this past summer.

“I am honored to receive this fellowship,” said Walton. “Working at the Toledo Museum of Art has been a wonderful learning experience so far, and I am excited by the opportunity to learn from the staff here, and hopefully make a positive impact on the Museum’s educational programs.”

The KeyBank Fellowship is supported by a five-year grant from the KeyBank Foundation. With the Foundation’s support, Toledo Museum of Art will recruit and train diverse fellows who are pursuing a career in the arts, museum work or other related fields and who are of African American, Hispanic or Asian descent.

“The Toledo Museum of Art is the region’s premier cultural institution,” said James Hoffman, KeyBank market president. “We are proud to sponsor the fund and contribute to the promising future of the museum.