Dominique Goden Chronicles Eleanor Merritt Fellowship Experience at The Ringling Museum

Dominique Goden, the 2024–2025 Eleanor Merritt Fellow at The Ringling, recounts her professional development journey. Initially an intern during her Museum & Cultural Heritage Studies master's program at Florida State University, she discovered a passion for textile conservation. Her fellowship work includes researching African Americans associated with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, creating a documentary about Eleanor Merritt, organizing community workshops on preservation, and coordinating staff training sessions. Despite hurricane-related disruptions in Fall 2024, she has progressed with spring projects including exhibition support and educational activities.