Smithsonian Institution, Center for Museum Studies
I think it is really great that you are communicating with the academic
institution and hopefully the prospective intern(s) to ensure that the
internship will be relevant to the three parties involved. To give my 2
cents- 200 hours for the semester sounds about right. It's somewhere
between 12 and 14 hours per week, depending on whether it is a 14 or 16
week semester. Internships require a lot of commitment and involvement
from the intern (and everyone else, too) and I think that letter grades
are good. A pass/fail grade doesn't really reward the intern for a job
well done. I think that if an A is possible, you will probably get A++
work. The key is to match the intern, project and supervisor so that
great things are possible. To write or not to write? Write!!! Part of
the learning process of an internship is reflection. A journal helps the
intern, supervisor and academic adviser understand the process and what
has happened. Maintaining a journal also helps the intern when they are
assessing their experience at your museum, in effect, grading you. Also,
we never write enough!

Elena Piquer Mayberry                A & I, Suite 2235  MRC 427
Intern Services Coordinator          Washington, DC 20560
Center for Museum Studies            202/357-3102  voice
[log in to unmask]  email          202/357-3346  fax