Tag Archives: History

Updating an Art History Syllabus: Ellie Leonardo ‘26

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Name: Ellie Leonardo
Class Year: 2026
Major: History

Internship Organization: Bryn Mawr College
Internship Title:  Research Assistant
Location: Bryn Mawr, PA

What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!  

I’ve been working on updating the syllabus for an art history course being taught in the fall. The course is HART B310 Topics in Medieval Art: Kings, Caliphs, and Emperors: Images of Authority. Right now the main thing I’ve been doing is reading the current syllabus as well as some potential new material and making suggestions on what we should include. 

Why did you apply for this internship?  

I applied for this internship because I wanted to get research experience to help prepare for my thesis. It is really difficult to get this kind of experience in the humanities so I feel really lucky to get to work with Professor Walker. The class also has high overlap with my research interests so it has been super helpful when thinking about potential topics for my thesis!  

What has been your favorite part of this internship? 

Getting to do a job that I actually enjoy and am interested in. I think a lot of young people have this problem where you can never get to do work that has any alignment with your long term interests and for me this makes work really exhausting. Working on this has been great because often the material I was reading was really interesting to me.  

Can you give us three adjectives and three nouns that describe your internship experience? 

Adjectives: Personal, In Flux, Perspective-Changing  

Nouns: Care, Connection, Compound 

Immersion in Environmental Education at Bosque Santiago with Miya Matsumune ‘26 

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Name: Miya Matsumune
Class Year: 2026
Major: Geology, History
Minor: Environmental Studies
 
Internship Organization:  Bosque Santiago
Internship Title:   Intern
Location:  Santiago, Chile
 
What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!  

Bosque Santiago is a center for environmental education within Santiago’s Parque Metropolitano. As an intern, I planned a geology workshop for kids as my personal project, and helped out with other workshops, tours, and events.

Why did you apply for this internship?  

Environmental education is my dream field of work. I love to teach others, invent games and activities, and I am passionate about sustainability and community outreach.
 
What has been your favorite part of this internship?    

Bosque Santiago is operated entirely in Spanish, and I am not a native Spanish speaker. It was difficult to adjust at first, because I wanted to speak professionally with my supervisor and I was worried about coming across as not intelligent or capable because of my limited Spanish abilities. However, as I became more comfortable with everyone, I began to relax and formed strong relationships with my supervisor and co-workers.

Was this internship what you expected it to be?   

I did not expect there to be so much freedom in this internship, however I ended up enjoying how much autonomy I had in the position. I was able to choose my own personal project and work on it at my own pace. Because of this, I was able to improve my proactivity and advocate for myself. 

 

Natasha Ring ’26 Explores Environmental Education in South Philadelphia 

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Name: Natasha Ring
Class Year: 2026
Major: Geology, History
Minor: Environmental Studies
 
Internship Organization:  Discovery Pathways
Internship Title:   Intern
Location:  South Philadelphia, PA
 
What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!  

I have gotten to be involved with so many different programs at Discovery Pathways this summer! Early on, while the school year was wrapping up for local K-12 schools, much of my work involved preparing for the start of our Youth Environmental Leaders Program, assisting on field trip visits, and working at the community boating and family fishing events. I also got to watch my first dragon boat race, since the Discovery Pathways team had a regatta in Philadelphia which was really exciting. For the last month, I have primarily been assisting with the Youth Environmental Leaders Program. This program targets BIPOC, immigrant, and refugee youth and gives them opportunities to learn about leadership, public speaking, fishing, boating, water testing, and sustainability. For the leaders, returning students who are now serving as mentors to the new students, the program also aims to assist them with job readiness skills such as practicing interviews and creating a resume. I have also been busy with visits from local rec centers and community groups who visit us at FDR Park where we take them on nature walks, kayaking on Edgewood lake, or fishing. I have also been assisting at the free community boating and free family fishing programs which target the local Southeast Philadelphia community. These programs can serve hundreds of visitors on any given day, and are an excellent opportunity for me to learn more about the local communities and practice my public speaking skills.
 
Why did you apply for this internship? 

My concentration within Environmental Studies is Environmental Education, so I was looking for a summer internship that focused on Environmental Education. I learned about Discovery Pathways last fall after talking to one of my lab partners who had interned there last summer. I loved that Discovery Pathways was local to the area and had a focus on making environmental education accessible to the local community through practices like empowering students to translate instructions at our community boating events and free events.
 
Was there anything special about how you found this internship? 

I initially learned about Discovery Pathways through my lab partner, who had interned there last summer. Some students from Dr. Young’s Fish and Community Praxis Class, which I took this spring, were also placed at Discovery Pathways which gave me another opportunity to connect with Adam and the organization.  

What has been your favorite part of this internship?
 
My favorite part has definitely been working with the teenagers in our Youth Leaders Program, and learning from them. They have taught me so much on topics ranging from rowing and racing a dragon boat to what vendors to go to at the Southeast Asian Market to how I can communicate more clearly on our busy boating days. I have also tried many new foods based on their recommendations, including green papaya salad and lychee. 

Hannah Carroll ’26 Interns at The Weitzman  

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Name: Hannah Carroll
Class Year: 2026
Major: History of Art, History, German Studies 

Internship Organization: The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History
Internship Title:   Curatorial Intern
Location:  Philadelphia, PA
  
What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!  

Who is she? Portrait of Mrs. N Eckstein by Louis Lang, 1839

Museums are surprisingly dynamic workplaces, meaning no two days are ever the same! I have done so many different things, from accessing objects, to getting really good at using an office scanner while digitizing old exhibition files. The Weitzman is hoping to unveil some new and improved exhibitions in the coming years, and many of the tasks I have worked on have been related to the museum’s upcoming temporary exhibition for the semiquincentennial (250th anniversary) of the Declaration of Independence called The First Salute. What I think is so amazing about this exhibition, which will follow the story of the Jewish community on Sint Eustatius in the Caribbean and its involvement with the American Revolution, is that it really highlights the sometimes unexpected dynamism and diversity (of peoples, of goods, of ideas, etc.) present in the 18th century Atlantic World. I cannot wait to see and share the final project with all of you next spring!
 
Why did you apply for this internship?   

Even before working there, the Weitzman was probably one of my favorite museums in Philadelphia. Believe it or not, it is the only Jewish museum in the country which focuses exclusively on telling the stories of the American Jewish experience from the 17th to the 21st century. Working in a museum was something I have really wanted to do since I started college, and the Weitzman unique collection and specialties would help me bridge connections between many of my academic passions, such as American history and Jewish history, as well as object interpretation and material culture. I also feel that working in a Jewish museum and helping to tell these stories of American Jewish life is particularly needed in our current moment in which anti-Jewish bigotry has become commonplace in our politics and culture.  

Was there anything special about how you found this internship? 

Yes! I had really been struggling in my search for an internship, and I was talking to one of my friends who was working at the Weitzman as part of the Praxis program this spring and really loved the work she was doing. Even though I am probably not going to be able to do a Praxis next year, I reached out to the Praxis director, Tiffany Stahl, who said that she heard the museum was actively searching for summer interns and gave me the email of my eventual supervisor. I know this is incredibly schmaltzy, but if you are struggling in your search for internships, it never hurts to ask for information from friends, your advisors, or even the Career and Civic Engagement Center — it is their job, after all!
 
What was your favorite part of this internship?  

“Everything” is kind of a silly answer, but I mean it! I have loved both the breadth and depth of my work there.
  
Can you talk about the skills you are learning and why they are important to you?

Learning how museums work has been very fulfilling as an art history major, because it has shown me what kinds of things I can do with my degree as I pursue further study. Understanding a museum from the inside out has also helped me think about how to research better, especially as I prepare to write my thesis. I have been working on solving the mystery of one particular painting in the museum’s collection, a portrait of a woman from the late 1830s. We know basically nothing about her except for her last name and the artist who painted her portrait. Uncovering her story has led me down so many different paths, as I research the life of a woman who, pending further evidence, I suspect may be the sitter. It has also been interesting (and sometimes a little frustrating) to read the internal records we have on the painting, and see how others who have attempted to identify her have tried and failed, and at times made and propagated shaky claims about who she was, somewhat like a game of art-historical telephone! Hopefully if I am similarly unable to confirm her identity, I can at least leave a better framework and documentary trail for the next person in my stead. The lives of American Jewish women before the late nineteenth century are quite under-researched (although this is slowly changing), and I hope that in the future my own research will build upon illuminating more stories like this! 

Returning to Serve: A Public Health Internship at Akropong, Ghana

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Name: Theresah Tawiah
Class Year: 2027
Major: History
Minor: Biology, Health Studies
 
Internship Organization: Akropong Government Polyclinic 
Internship Title:   Public Health and Epidemiology Intern
Location: Ghana

What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!  

Community outreach at the Boko Catholic School about menstrual hygiene

 At the Akropong Government Polyclinic, I’m gaining hands-on experience in vaccine distribution, disease control, and health monitoring. I’ve learned how vaccines are sourced globally through the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), stored at controlled temperatures (+2°C to +8°C), and transported through Ghana’s health system, from national to sub-district levels via cold rooms and cold boxes. I’ve also seen how damaged vaccines are carefully disposed of to prevent contamination, with EPA and NDA oversight. 

Using digital tools like DHIMS2, with the help of the team, I track vaccine administration, while immunization monitor charts help me visualize campaign progress. I am working under the guidance of Mr. Marfo, the District Disease Control Officer for Atwima Nwabiagya North. 

In the disease control area, I’ve learned about TPT (Tuberculosis Preventive Therapy), which is used to protect individuals exposed to TB from developing active disease. 

I’ve also begun learning a bit about nutrition, including how accurate assessments play a key role in monitoring child health and avoiding misdiagnoses. 

I had the opportunity to lead a community health outreach about Menstrual hygiene at the Boko Catholic school, where I spoke to about 90 girls and educated them on the menstrual cycle and how to keep themselves healthy and clean during menstruation.

Why did you apply for this internship?  

A picture with the Atwima Nwabiagya North Disease control officer

I chose this internship because it brings together my passion for public health, my academic background, and my personal connection to the Akropong community. Having previously worked at the Akropong Government Polyclinic around the COVID-19 pandemic, I saw firsthand how clear communication and local trust can shape health outcomes. That experience sparked my interest in epidemiology and disease prevention. Returning now as an intern allows me to deepen my practical knowledge of health systems, strengthen my community engagement skills, and contribute meaningfully to the place that first inspired my public health journey.

Was there anything special about how you found this internship? 

 Yes, this internship is special to me because it’s not something I just stumbled upon. After connecting with the Akropong Government Polyclinic during the COVID-19 pandemic and being a volunteer there to support health education and vaccine awareness, gave me experience that has sparked my passion for public health. So coming back now as an intern feels intentional and personal, like continuing a journey that began during a critical time for the community and for me.

What has been your favorite part of this internship?  

A picture of vaccines for the various sub district clinics and hospitals

My favorite part has been working with young girls, children, and the wider community. I’ve especially enjoyed the moments spent interacting with people, listening to their concerns, answering their questions, and helping them understand how to take care of their health. Whether it’s educating mothers about immunizations or encouraging young girls to prioritize their well-being and menstrual hygiene, these one-on-one connections have been the most rewarding part of this experience.     

What is something you have learned from your internship that you didn’t expect? 

One important thing I’ve learned is that effective public health work goes beyond data and policies, it’s about people. Building trust, listening with empathy, and communicating clearly are just as vital as knowing the science. I’ve seen how small actions, like educating someone about vaccine safety or correcting a nutrition misconception, can make a big difference. This experience has taught me that true impact often starts at the community level. 

Can you talk about the skills you learned and why they are important to you? 

I’ve learned practical skills in vaccine handling, cold chain management, and data tracking through systems like DHIMS2. I’ve also become more familiar with how immunization campaigns are organized and monitored. Alongside these technical skills, I’ve grown in health communication and community engagement, especially when educating people on disease prevention and interacting with vulnerable groups. These skills are important to me because they’ve given me real-world insight into how public health systems function and shown me how to connect compassion with action in the field. 

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced at your internship? 

My biggest challenge has been working in environments where there aren’t always enough resources to do the job effectively. At times, the lack of adequate tools, materials, or support systems made it difficult to carry out certain tasks smoothly. I also had to take time to understand how things work within the public health structure, how decisions are made, how data is managed, and how interventions are implemented. These challenges have taught me to be resourceful, to ask questions, and to keep learning even in tough situations. 

Can you give us three adjectives and three nouns that describe your internship experience? 

Eye-opening experience  

Community-centered work 

Impactful

What is most rewarding about your internship?  

The most rewarding part has been engaging directly with the community, especially working with young girls and children. I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity to interact with people, listen to their concerns, and share helpful health information in ways they can relate to. Being part of something that builds trust and awareness at the grassroots level has been incredibly fulfilling and has reminded me why I am choosing public health in the first place.

Was this internship what you expected it to be?  

Not entirely. I came in with an idea of learning about vaccines and public health systems, but being on the ground showed me so much more. I didn’t expect the level of adaptability it would require or how much I’d enjoy connecting with the community. It challenged me in new ways, but it also confirmed that I’m on the right path.