An ‘Incredible Opportunity’

Jackie Sanders (Right) and Katlin White (Left) at the Archives of American Art (AAA).

Six Virginia Tech students have arrived at the Smithsonian for two-week internships in a variety of different locations. The students are interning at the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI), Archives of American Art (AAA), The National Museum of American History (NMAH), National Air and Space Museum (NASM), and The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (HMSG). These Interns are part of the pilot program based on a partnership between the Smithsonian and Virginia Tech.

Jaclyn “Jackie” Sanders and Katlin White are students in the Material Cultures and Public Humanities (MCPH) graduate school program at Virginia Tech. While at the Smithsonian Jackie and Katlin are interning with the Archives of American Art (AAA). At AAA they are researching an individual artist and pulling pieces of their art for an upcoming source material exhibit opening April 2016 at The Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM).

Katlin White a first year at MCPH.

Katlin a first year in MCPH, was drawn to the Smithsonian because it offers the best practice that anyone could get in a museum. This internship has opened her eyes to the wide array of jobs and career paths that are available within the museum sector. Through this internship she has gained first hand experiences in the archives and how to work well in an office setting. Katlin is quoted saying that this partnership offers an “incredible opportunity” because she has learn so much through being in DC.

Jaclyn “Jackie” Sanders a second year at MCPH.

Jackie a second year at MCPH, was attracted to the Smithsonian because she wanted to see the logistical structure of larger museums as compared to the smaller museums she had previously worked. This program has solidified that the information she is learning in the classroom is relaying over into the work force. The exposure to the behind the scenes work of the Smithsonian has shown her that the AAA is just a small part of larger Smithsonian. Through this internship Jackie has gained a hands on experience with archival work and writing at an industrial level. Jackie is thankful for the new relationships formed and the opportunity to experience DC.