HILLSBORO, Texas (KXXV) — The Texas Heritage Museum at Hill College is set to receive a prestigious medal.
- The award will come from the Institute for Museum and Library Services
- The event will take place on July 21st in Washington, D.C.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“What the heart of the medal is, is about how we represent our community," said John Versluis, an executive director of the Texas Heritage Museum.
The Texas Heritage Museum at Hill College is set to receive the National Medal for Museum and Library Service — the first community college in the nation to earn the honor.
John Versluis, the executive director for the Texas Heritage Museum, said being a recipient of this distinctive award was a collaborative effort.
“This medal is not only for the museum, but it’s also for the faculty who teach in here, all the students who take courses…it’s so great for students to come in they might not have ever been in a museum before," said Versluis.
The Texas Heritage Museum at Hill College began in 1964 with Professor Harold B. Simpson, who had a personal collection of historical artifacts. The museum grew out of Simpson's personal interest in preserving Texas military history. Simpson began collecting Civil War books, weapons, letters, and more while at Hill College.
Texas Heritage is one of 50 museums accredited in Texas. The museum continued to expand its collection throughout the years. Versluis said students, along with staff, play a vital role in upkeeping the museum, and their education goes beyond the classroom.
“They’re taking a class in the museum about history or about government, and they get to use our collections, and they could use our primary sources. They really get to study the arts and really understand different soldiers' stories. It’s a way to mix veterans and students," said Versluis.
Versluis said the medal is a win for the entire region and that preserving their artifacts is what sets them apart from other museums.
“Everything we do is best practices. When someone wants to donate a uniform. We want them to give a picture of a veteran in that uniform. We want to know that story. We want to know what battles they went through, what their struggles were, and what their accomplishments were, and really show who they were," said Versluis.
