The Georgia Museum of Art is searching for students with an appetite for conversation.

The Georgia Museum of Art is accepting applications for its student docent program — which allows art lovers of all majors to lead tours and foster discussion. File/The Red & Black

Students of all majors and years can apply until August 26 for the Student Docent Program at the Museum.

“The program is a great opportunity for students to get involved in the museum,” said Carissa DiCindio, curator of education.

Being a docent allows students to learn about artwork, lead tours of people and talk about art.

The museum has previously offered a community docent program every year. Last year a student program was created to accommodate the time and schedule limits of University students.

“This program is an opportunity for students who are interested in art to get involved and learn about the collection, have fun, make friends and learn how to talk about art to other people,” DiCindio said.

The process to apply for the program begins with an online application, including a reference and resume addition, and ends with a brief interview.

This is the second year this program has been offered at the museum.

Student docents will have the opportunity to tour groups of people of all ages around the museum and initiate conversations about the pieces on display.

Jessica Schwartz, a sophomore graduate student from Charlotte, N.C., participated in the docent program last year and especially liked touring with the museum.

“It’s surprising what comes out of a fifth grader’s mouth,” she said.”It’s all creative so there is no wrong answer.”

Swartz is one of the five previous docents returning to the program this year.

Docents will have opportunities to learn more about all aspects of the museum — and even meet curators.

“It was great to get to meet the people behind the things we were seeing,” Schwartz said.

Students do not necessarily need experience in museums to apply for the program, only an interest in art and a knack for conversation.

“The program gives you a totally different experience in public speaking, and it breaks down the barriers for different groups and ages of people,” Schwartz said.

Students new to the program this year will receive a little more guidance than last.

Because of the museum’s recent reopening, student docents last year had to train for their tours without the ability to walk through the museum and extensively study the art beforehand. Former student docents also did not get to experience a tour before they had to lead their own.

“I think the students this year will be much better off because they will get to see other tours in action, and they will be more familiar with the museum,” Schwartz said.

DiCindio encourages students to get involved with the museum, and gain this new experience.

“A lot of times the docent is the only person the visitor sees in the museum,” DiCindio said. “So we need volunteers to be the face of the museum.”

Apply online at http://www.georgiamuseum.org/webforms/student-application