My philosophy of interns, since they are there for a defined period of
time and they are associated with a college or university program, is to
determine (generally with them) a project they are to accomplish within
their internship that is "theirs" and which represents a solid learning
experience for them. This could be an educational piece to write, a
curriculum to develop, a group of collections objects to research,
whatever the needs are.  They may do other things too, like lead tours
or stuff envelopes, but their project is designed to be easily
accomplished within their internship period and to contribute to their
learning goals, and part of their internship review is their success at
completing the project.  I also try to rotate the intern around to each
department to get a feeling for what goes on there, if only for a couple
of days.

I try to bear in mind that internships are not for MY benefit, but for
the INTERN'S benefit, and if the department or museum also happens to
gain something from it, so much the better. I have never experienced
intern/staff friction, because everyone knows the intern is still a
student and is not there to take anyone's job.  (although we have hired
past interns for professional positions, we have never kicked anyone out
because an intern was more qualified)

Julia Muney Moore
Public Art Administrator
Blackburn Architects, Indianapolis, IN
(317) 875-5500 x230
 

-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Susannah West
Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 10:37 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: intern-staff relationship

Our museum may be getting an intern next year and I'm wondering about
others' experiences of how staff and interns "get along."  The
requirements
for a tour guide at our museum are not great; hopefully one enjoys
"working
with the public" and has at least a high school diploma, but this isn't
necessary.  (I myself have a masters in natural resources, with an
emphasis
in environmental interpretation and was told when I interviewed that I
was
"overqualified.")  An intern who would be majoring in some aspect of the
museum field would obviously be more knowledgeable, and I wonder if this
might not create friction between him/her and the staff.

Susannah West
John Rankin House
Ripley, Ohio

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