Volunteer Spotlight: Meet Randy McDonald!

Randy has been volunteering at The Bryan since March 2016. He is a joy to have around the Museum, always greeting everyone with a smile and a laugh, and as a retired University administrator and adjunct history instructor from Texas A&M Commerce with a Master’s degree focus in the American Southwest, The Bryan is a perfect fit! He leads a wonderfully informative and entertaining tour and engages guests with ease as a gallery specialist. If you are lucky enough to find Randy leading your tour, be sure to thank him for his time and dedication to The Bryan.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am a granddad to a 7-year-old little girl and her little brother, who is almost 3 years old. They are funny and fun to watch. We have a good time. I have a great family who are scattered around the Houston area.

What is your favorite part of being a Bryan Museum docent?

My favorite part of being a docent is meeting new and interesting people daily, listening to their stories, and fielding their questions. Also, getting to use my background in American and Texas history and keep up to date with a new scholarship through readings and classes, all of which is especially fun to impart on from people out of state.

What is your favorite artifact at the Museum?     

My favorite artifact is the Cabeza de Vaca memoir, La Relacion. It has such history and goes back to the 16^th century with the Narváez expedition and through what happens once they get to Mexico City, and eventually back in Spain. There has been a lot of interesting scholarship that has come upon the expedition, de Vaca, and especially on Estevanico’s history. It is nice to keep up with these things and then lots of fun to talk about with guests.