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 ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).