Jeff Kupperman wrote

>In the long run internships benefit museums as a whole.  Maybe museums should
>be working together (through the AAM, etc.) to find ways to make internships
>more feasable and beneficial for all parties involved.

Thinking in the long run you will get no argument from me.  But its
difficult to keep the benefit of the museum profession in mind when
considering to host an intern, when your buried with your own work and
your still cleaning up after the intern you hosted two years ago.  I
would include in your list of partners the graduate and undergraduate
programs that send interns to museums.  The potential for prestigious
internships and eventual employment is ussualy prominently featured in
literature and recruitment rhetoric, yet many of these programs
(certainly not all) do nothing to prepare either the intern or the host
to ensure a quality educational experience.  There are schools I will not
host and some schools I recruit from actively based upon this variance in
assistance.

Redirect:  I know that there is a section of AAM dedicated to
professional development issues.  Have they, or anyone else for that
matter developed criteria or standards or guidelines for a quality
internship.  If not, what does everyone think the elements of a quality
internship should be and what are the responsibilities of the various
individuals and institutions involved.  I ask this a person who has been
given (or did  I volunteer I think I missed that meeting) the task of
volunteer coordinator and would like to take the job beyond the step of
merely filling out placement forms and answering phone calls.


THese thoughts are mine and do not reflect the opinions of my employer,
co-workers, employees, friends, relatives, or signifigant others.

Matthew A. White
Director of Education
Baltimore Museum of Industry
1415 Key Highway
Baltimore, MD 21230
(410)727-4808
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