Heidi Anderson wrote:

>Some provisions should be made to help students support themselves while
>they are working on an internship.  Some sort of payment, a stipend, a
>scholarship, room and board provided by the museum, something to help
>make a volunteer internship more possible for the student.
>I agree that contacts are important, but not as important as eating for
>six months while working at an internship.
>If interning and meeting some great contacts means starving, is it really
>worth it?
>


I think we need to keep in mind that museums are non-profit organizations
that rely on free research and labor.  If they had the money to offer
payment, stipends and scholarships than they would hire professionals with
experience to do the work.  Also, the museum world is highly competitive
and institutions can afford not to pay their interns because the positions
are in such hot demand.  Not to sound harsh, but if you can't afford to
work for free, sadly, someone else who can will grab the opportunity.
These days the most an institution can offer their interns is valuable
experience and MAYBE a foot in the door for the future.


Stephanie Skestos
Dept. of Prints and Drawings
(312)857-7164
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