A Woman with a Cause

A Woman with a Cause: Meet The Sixteen-Year-Old Anthony Museum Tour Guide

Guest blog by Julia Smith

Editor’s Note: Julia Smith is a recent Nazareth College graduate, and volunteered at the Anthony Museum as a receptionist in the summer of 2018. Her mother, Sue Smith, was one of the Anthony Museum’s beloved docents. This article was originally written as coursework for Julia’s class “Feature Writing.”

At sixteen, you would expect Lola DeAscentiis to be learning TikTok dances in her friend’s basement or haphazardly attempting to hydro dip her sneakers on the driveway. Instead, DeAscentiis commits her time to being one of the youngest tour guides at the National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House in downtown Rochester, NY.

“I’ve always had a passion for women’s history,” said DeAcentiis of becoming a docent. “Being right in Rochester, why wouldn’t I take that opportunity?”

A sophomore at Our Lady of Mercy High School, DeAscentiis began working at the Anthony Museum when she was only in eighth grade. However, because of her age (she was thirteen at the time), she was not allowed to give tours.

Instead, DeAscentiis jumped into working on community outreach initiatives such as the Anthony Museum’s Girl Scouts Program, which aims to connect social justice causes of today to Anthony’s legacy and life’s work. When DeAscentiis began high school last year, she embarked on a rigorous training schedule to finally become a docent at the Anthony Museum.

“I don’t want to say it came naturally since it was a lot of work, but getting to learn from the other docents and doing some reading on my own was something I really enjoyed doing,”she said. On the final tour before she received her certification, she caught the eye of playwright Mark Mobley, who incorporated her story into The Rochester Philharmonic’s bicentennial celebration of Anthony’s work, Women’s Suffrage: Past + Present. Her story was one of a select few featured among the likes of Mayor Lovely A. Warren; Susan B. Anthony Center Director, Dr. Catherine Cerulli; and Tamara Leigh, Director of Operations and Public Relations for the Out Alliance.

But Mobley isn’t the only one who recognized DeAscentiis’ talent.

“I have never in my fifteen years as an educator taught a student like Lola,” said Sarah DeMulder, DeAscentiis’ eighth grade English teacher and mentor. DeMulder describes DeAscentiis the way you would try to explain a once in a lifetime cosmic event, pausing in an attempt to describe a unique occurrence just right.

“We were reading Edgar Allen Poe and we did a few of his prose pieces and a handful of poems,” said DeMulder. “Lola’s response to that was to go out and get an entire anthology of Poe’s work and dig through it. She’s just constantly wanting more.”

When faculty members at Mercy decided to plan a centennial celebration for the ratification of the 19th Amendment, DeAscentiis was immediately added to the committee.

“I felt like it was necessary to bring Lola on board,” said DeMulder. “Lola’s depth of knowledge on the subject matter supersedes any of our knowledge. She doesn’t just know about it. She lives it and believes in it.”

Linda Lopata, Director of Interpretation & Visitor Services at the Anthony Museum, agrees.

“She’s very unusual for her age,” Lopata said. “She’s thinking about things deeply but she’s also incredibly engaging.”

“When people are waiting for their tour and then she comes out, you can see in their face they’re kind of like ‘what is this?’” said Lopata. “But by the end, they’re like ‘she was phenomenal.’ And that’s not because she’s fifteen— it’s because she’s really, really good.”

Even at her young age, DeAscentiis is already inspiring young women and girls through her work at the Anthony Museum.

“Having [tours with] children is really fun,” DeAscentiis said of giving tours to little kids. “They take what they’ve learned in school and they’re actually so excited…I just love their energy.”

DeMulder’s two elementary school aged daughters both look up to Lola as a role model. “I asked my now eight-year-old what she would like to do to celebrate her eighth birthday and she wanted to go back to the Anthony Museum,” said DeMulder.

“Her email starts with ‘futureprez,’” Lopata said. “I don’t doubt it.”

In her time away from the Anthony Museum, DeAscentiis tries to keep herself busy. She’s currently on the editorial board of her school’s newspaper, participates in diversity club, and even started a TikTok account called HERstory focused on educating the public about women who were often overlooked or under-appreciated in history.

“It’s been a really great way to connect and reach out to people,” DeAscentiis says of the account, which has accumulated over three thousand likes on the platform.

Even though the Susan B. Anthony House is more than ten times older than she is, DeAscentiis finds Anthony’s life of service more powerful and relevant than ever.

“My favorite part of the tour to give is probably the very last room: her bedroom,” said DeAscentiis. “At that point people definitely start to tear up a little bit at the end of her story. That just means a lot to me because her story really was that moving and if I’m able to convey that in the hour I have with those people, it makes me feel pretty accomplished.”

“If I’m able to inspire people through her story, I think that’s a really great start at carrying on her legacy.”

VIRTUAL MONDAY LECTURE SERIES—Carrie Chapman Catt: the woman behind the passage of the 19th Amendment

The National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House proudly presents the 17th season of its popular Monday Lecture Series. June’s featured speaker is Dr. Jennifer M. Lloyd, History Professor Emerita, The College at Brockport , who will present “Carrie Chapman Catt: the woman behind the passage of the 19th Amendment.

This presentation is offered as an online presentation at 1pm. Invitations will be sent to  registered attendees.

Register to attend the online presentation here.

Volunteer Meet & Greet

 

Here at the National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House we’re always looking for enthusiastic volunteers. We’d like to invite you to a Meet &Greet session, designed to orient you to the Museum, introduce you to staff, and answer questions you may have about volunteer duties here at the Anthony Museum.

Location: National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House Visitor Center, 19 Madison St, Rochester NY 14608

(There is a small parking lot immediately next to the building and there should be ample space on the street.)

Please email inspire@susanb.org if you are interested in attending this event.

We are looking forward to meeting you!

Here at the National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House we’re always looking for enthusiastic volunteers. We’d like to invite you to a Meet &Greet session, designed to orient you to the Museum, introduce you to staff, and answer questions you may have about volunteer duties here at the Anthony Museum.

Location: National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House Visitor Center, 19 Madison St, Rochester NY 14608

(There is a small parking lot immediately next to the building and there should be ample space on the street.)

Please email inspire@susanb.org if you are interested in attending this event.

We are looking forward to meeting you!

Volunteer Meet & Greet

Here at the National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House we’re always looking for enthusiastic volunteers. We’d like to invite you to a Meet &Greet session, designed to orient you to the Museum, introduce you to staff, and answer questions you may have about volunteer duties here at the Anthony Museum.

Location: National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House Visitor Center, 19 Madison St, Rochester NY 14608

(There is a small parking lot immediately next to the building and there should be ample space on the street.)

Please email inspire@susanb.org if you are interested in attending this event.

We are looking forward to meeting you!

Volunteer Meet & Greet

Here at the National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House we’re always looking for enthusiastic volunteers. We’d like to invite you to a Meet &Greet session, designed to orient you to the Museum, introduce you to staff, and answer questions you may have about volunteer duties here at the Anthony Museum.

Location: National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House Visitor Center, 19 Madison St, Rochester NY 14608

(There is a small parking lot immediately next to the building and there should be ample space on the street.)

Please email inspire@susanb.org if you are interested in attending this event.

We are looking forward to meeting you!

Volunteer Meet & Greet

Here at the National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House we’re always looking for enthusiastic volunteers. We’d like to invite you to a Meet &Greet session, designed to orient you to the Museum, introduce you to staff, and answer questions you may have about volunteer duties here at the Anthony Museum.

Location: National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House Visitor Center, 19 Madison St, Rochester NY 14608

(There is a small parking lot immediately next to the building and there should be ample space on the street.)

Please email inspire@susanb.org if you are interested in attending this event.

We are looking forward to meeting you!

Volunteer Meet & Greet

 

Here at the National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House we’re always looking for enthusiastic volunteers. We’d like to invite you to a Meet &Greet session, designed to orient you to the Museum, introduce you to staff, and answer questions you may have about volunteer duties here at the Anthony Museum.

Location: National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House Visitor Center, 19 Madison St, Rochester NY 14608

(There is a small parking lot immediately next to the building and there should be ample space on the street.)

Please email inspire@susanb.org if you are interested in attending this event.

We are looking forward to meeting you!

Job Opening at the Anthony Museum

Volunteer Coordinator

National Susan B Anthony Museum & House

Position Description

 

Position Profile:

The National Susan B Anthony Museum & House preserves the National Historic Landmark where the great reformer lived for forty of her most politically active years, collects and exhibits artifacts related to her life and work, and offers programs through its Learning Center that challenge individuals to make a positive difference in their lives and communities.

The Volunteer Coordinator is responsible for an effective museum volunteer program designed to support a high quality visitor experience.

 

Principal Responsibilities:

1. Recruits, interviews, trains, and certifies museum volunteers

2. Develops training materials and other volunteer resources (in collaboration with Educator)

3. Fills, maintains, posts, and distributes the volunteer schedule

4. Produces a volunteer newsletter monthly (in collaboration with Communications staff)

5. Acts as liaison between volunteers and staff to facilitate good relations and communications

6. Develops and facilitates educational programs in collaboration with the Program Director or CEO

7. Assists in planning and securing volunteer staffing for educational and group programs

8. Facilitates volunteer enrichment programs and volunteer meetings

9. Plans the volunteer recognition program

10. Corresponds with volunteers as part of institutional outreach and goodwill toward volunteers

11. Attends weekly staff meetings to provide input on volunteer program and maintain communication with colleagues

12. Serves as “Visitor Center Manager” at the Visitor Center for designated shifts

 

Reports to: President and CEO

Employment Status: Part-time, Hourly

This position is budgeted for 19 hours per week, including 5-8 hours of “Visitor Center Manager” time.

 

To apply, send cover letter and resume with references to:

President & CEO

National Susan B Anthony Museum & House

17 Madison Street

Rochester, NY 14608