Dan,

While studying for my Master's in Museum Science at Texas Tech University I
had the opportunity to complete two, short internships.  My undergraduate
studies were in Fine Art, and while at the Museum I worked with Dr. Sankar
Chatterjee in the Paleontology Department and I developed an interest in fossil
preparation and casting and molding.  Since there was nobody at my institution with
which to study these processes, 'insider' internships with Dr. Chatterjee's
associates seemed a logical solution.  The first internship was six weeks in
1997 at the Denver Museum of Natural History under Brian Small, studying fossil
prep, casting and molding, and field methods.  The second was 4 weeks in 1998
at the Smithsonian (NMNH) with Peter Kroehler, studying fossil prep and
casting/molding.

There were several distinct advantages to an internship in my situation.
First, I was able to obtain Museum funds (airfare, lodging) for at least part of
my expenses since the Museum could recognize a value to any knowledge I gained
and subsequently shared with the Department.  Second, I was able to compare
and contrast techniques at the two institutions and develop a more holistic
understanding of the procedures.  Third, I positioned myself for a job at the
Texas Tech Museum as a preparator in anticipation of an up-coming, permanent
dinosaur exhibit.  Fourth, the internships allowed me to network with other paleo
professionals.  Fifth, the internships simply offered the opportunity to
travel.  Sixth, the internships helped tremendously with the formulation of, and
research for my thesis.  Finally, I received course credit (research and
independent study) for the internships.

By attending these internships, I gained knowledge that I knew would be
indepensible to a Museum that was anticipating a new paleo exhibit, and I was able
to move directly into the job after graduation in December, 1998.  This is
certainly no small thing in a field where competition for jobs is fierce.
Although I have since moved on and am now working on my PhD in Fine Arts, these
internships were clearly invaluable to my professional growth, and a large part of
the reason that I had the opportunity to fulfill a childhood dream and work
as a paleontological preparator/illustrator for 6 years.

In more specific response to your questions, I would change little about my
experiences.  The people I worked with were helpful and friendly (Brian and
Peter are gods), and both internships count as some of the most memorable
experiences of my life.  As far as which factors contribute most to a successful
internship, I would say that focus and purpose are paramount, both for the intern
and the host institution.  A student with clearly stated needs and ambitions,
and a host institution with clearly stated needs and expectations will find
the most sympathetic fit.  I believe that my experiences were valuable largely
because I knew exactly what I wanted to learn, and the host institutions had
need of assistance in these areas, and adequate staff to facilitate my learning.
 Finally, I financed much of these internships myself with student loans and
credit cards since there were no stipends from my host institutions.  I feel
that I made an excellent return on my investment, and I encourage students to
recognize the inherent value in the internship experience, and to not shy from
opportunities that are under-funded or entirely unsupported.

I hope this information is helpful.

Sincere Regards,
Kyle McQuilkin
Texas Tech University
School of Art


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