Woody Internship in Museum Studies
Ready to take your interest in museums to the next level?
Thanks to the vision and generosity of alum Dr. Carol Woody '71 and Robert Woody, interns receive $4,000 to complete ten full-time weeks of intern and research activities during the summer. Successful applicants are matched, according to their interests and previous experience, with museum partners, who will then have the opportunity to vet final candidates through interviews. This opportunity is open to all W&M undergraduates.
Applications for Summer 2024 are now closed.
The Charles Center is excited to offer the following opportunities for Summer 2024.
Chrysler Museum of Art (Norfolk, Virginia)
The Chrysler Museum exists to enrich and transform lives. Its mission is to bring art and people together through experiences that delight, inform, and inspire. The museum has fifty galleries, a growing collection of more than 30,000 objects, an interactive space for families, and the only glass studio of its kind in the Mid-Atlantic region. Internship description The Woody Intern would conduct research related to an exciting new exhibition being planned at the Chrysler Museum Art on the life and legacy of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr. This show seeks to look beyond the masterpieces he acquired to understand his life-long engagement with art and his vision for the future of the museum that bears his name. The Woody Intern’s duties would include conducting research in the museum’s archives, developing a framework for a potential oral history project that engages local community members, creating a chronology of Chrysler’s life, and assisting in the assembly of an initial checklist of works. Although the Woody Intern's primary focus would be research related to this upcoming exhibition, they will also have the opportunity to participate in other project meetings with the Director of Curatorial Affairs, offering them a firsthand experience of the work of the Museum’s Collections & Exhibitions, Conservation, and Curatorial divisions.
Preferred skills, experience, and interests
Learn more about the Chrysler Museum of Art here. |
Colonial National Historical Park (Yorktown, Virginia)
Colonial National Historical Park (NHP) administers two of the most historically significant sites in English North America. Historic Jamestowne, the first permanent English settlement in North America in 1607, jointly administered with Preservation Virginia, and Yorktown Battlefield, the final major battle of the American Revolutionary War in 1781. Internship description Colonial National Historical Park is currently expanding the stories we tell to be more inclusive and representative of our nation's history. This work includes the stories of the African American men that participated in the Civilian Conservation Corps that conducted archeology and helped build the Colonial Parkway. The park is planning outreach and engagement activities related to CCC staff that helped develop the Park. The park is looking to identify and recognize families of the CCC workers. This intern position will help the park identify family members by using a variety of outreach and engagement methods. They will help develop press releases and content to bring attention to our campaign. They will also work to develop interpretive exhibits related to Civilian Conservation Corps activities at Colonial NHP. They will also participate in archeological research at a site previously excavated by CCC staff on Jamestown Island.
Preferred skills, experience, and interests
Learn more about Colonial National Historical Park here. |
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (Williamsburg, Virginia)
The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation operates the world’s largest living history museum in Williamsburg, Virginia—the restored 18th-century capital of Britain’s largest, wealthiest, and most populous outpost of empire in the New World. The mission of Colonial Williamsburg is to be a center for history and citizenship, encouraging national and international audiences to learn from the past through the preservation, restoration, and presentation of 18th-century Williamsburg and the study, interpretation, and teaching of America's founding democratic principles. Centennial Exhibition preferred skills, experiences, and interests
Digital Furniture Initiative Internship Description For this digital initiative, the intern would assist the Curator of Furniture in making the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation's important British and American furniture collection more accessible online to a global public. This digital initiative is an institutional educational priority to expand the sharing of our collections objects and information about them with the public. In assisting with cataloguing, the intern would also undertake general research on furniture. The intern will assist the Curator of Furniture with updating digitized catalogue records with the goal of publishing entries on Colonial Williamsburg electronic database, eMuseum, that contain full catalogue information including labels (to be written) and photographs. The intern will also work with the Collections Photographer and Art Handler on scheduling movement and photography of objects.
Learn more about the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation here. |
Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation
The mission of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation is to foster through its living-history museums – Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown – an awareness and understanding of the early history, settlement, and development of the United States through the convergence of American Indian, European, and African cultures and the enduring legacies bequeathed to the nation. Internship description Within Museum Operations and Education, we have several departments serving staff and the public through the creation of diverse educational experiences to include program development and support, engaging experiences in our gallery and online spaces, and community outreach. We are committed to giving a more equitable voice to our museums and programs through the evaluation of our current content, exhibits, and language choices. As we increase content knowledge and close informational gaps, we hope to increase awareness and understanding of the three individual cultures that converged here and how they interacted with one another.
With our focus on updating African and Indigenous content and language, this internship has the potential to work in a few different areas based on the student's interest. We will be working on updating language, creating content related training material for staff, public programs, community outreach and digital media content production. As we continue to evaluate and update our language, content and training, this internship will have the opportunity to work with multiple departments on creating and supporting a narrative that best includes the perspectives of all three cultures equitably. Project options can include content research, digital media creation, creating an assessment process for language and content, public programming or staff training. Preferred skills, experiences, and interests
Learn more about the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation here. |
Preservation Virginia (Richmond, Virginia & multiple locations)Preservation Virginia owns and operates six historic locations open to the public. It’s roughly 100 miles from Patrick Henry’s Scotchtown in Hanover County to Cape Henry Lighthouse in Virginia Beach- 100 Miles of History! Along the way, visit the John Marshall House, Historic Jamestowne, Smith’s Fort and Bacon’s Castle. Internship description Preservation Virginia, a privately-funded, statewide historic preservation organization founded in 1889, works to ensure the relevancy of the Commonwealth’s historic places. The multifaceted and impactful nature of our advocacy programs, six historic sites and partnerships with other organizations has allowed us to create a holistic approach to saving the places that connect us to our diverse, complex history. The Summer Internship is an opportunity to work directly with the curatorial and interpretation team to help build and expand the history we share at Smith's Fort in Surry, Virginia. This internship will cover a multidisciplinary range of possible responsibilities and activities, from archival research to descendant outreach and curatorial interpretation.
Preferred skills, experiences, and interests
Learn more about Preservation Virginia here. |
Taft Museum of Art (Cincinnati, Ohio)Built around 1820 as a private home for several of Cincinnati’s most prominent citizens, the Taft Museum of Art is now one of the finest small art museums in America and holds National Historic Landmark status for its historic house and Duncanson murals. Internship description The internship research project will focus on developing an in-person gallery experience for visitors. The intern will work with a variety of departments to accomplish the project, which will provide a great opportunity to develop real-life relationships and learn from veteran professionals across disciplines.
Preferred skills, experience, and interests
Learn more about the Taft Museum of Art here. |
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Richmond, Virginia)Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) is a state-supported, privately endowed educational institution created for the benefit of the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Its purpose is to collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret art, to encourage the study of the arts, and thus to enrich the lives of all. Internship description The VMFA Intern will learn the complexities of conceiving, planning, and bringing to life a special exhibition, which benefits from exposure to multiple roles and departments in a major museum setting. The student will split their time between the development of this project, attending planning meetings with Exhibitions staff for projects currently on the VMFA portfolio, and aiding the exhibition and publications staff with various assignments in support of projects and their scholarly catalogues.
Preferred skills, experiences, and interests
Learn more about the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts here. |
Virginia Museum of History & Culture (Richmond, Virginia)The Virginia Museum of History & Culture (VMHC) connects people to America's past through the unparalleled story of Virginia. By collecting, preserving, and interpreting the Commonwealth's history, the museum links past with present and inspires future generations. Internship description The internship will primarily involve the intern researching in the archives for publications, programs, and reference. This will involve conducting historical research with primary sources held by the VMHC and creating spreadsheets, reports, and content for use by VMHC staff and library patrons. In addition, the intern will gain experience and familiarity with some of the day-to-day operations involved in the running of a research library.
Preferred skills, experiences, & interests
Learn more about the Virginia Museum of History & Culture here. |
Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (Winterthur, Delaware)Winterthur is the premier museum of American decorative arts, with an unparalleled collection of nearly 90,000 objects made or used in America since 1640. The collection is displayed in the magnificent 175-room house, much as it was when the family of founder Henry Francis du Pont called it home. Internship description Winterthur offers a unique opportunity for the Woody Intern to work across the Collections and Interpretation Division which spans the following departments: curatorial, exhibitions, public programming, and registration. The focus of the internship includes content development for upcoming exhibitions as well as work to support ongoing collection assessment efforts. During the 10 weeks, the Woody Intern will have an opportunity to conduct primary material culture research, mentored by the museum's curatorial and exhibition staff, while also having myriad opportunities to engage with the division's interpretation and engagement team. Preferred skills, experiences, and interests
Learn more about the Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library here. |
Host institutions provide interns with mentored research experiences that align with their needs and strategic objectives. Students are expected to apply and practice what they learn by contributing to the creation of an original project (e.g., exhibit, publication, or digital initiative) that reflects the latest methods, best practices, and innovative technologies in the field.
Below are the general application requirements. You can find more information in the links provided above, including expected duties and qualifications for each internship.
Eligibility
Applicant must be:
- a student in good academic standing.
- a continuing undergraduate student (i.e., not a graduating senior).
- eligible to work in the United States on or before May 1 of the internship year.
- available to complete ten full weeks of intern and research activities in the summer.
Requirements
- Internships will have a research component with specifics to be arranged with the internship supervisor. Students receiving internship funding are required to blog about their research experience during the summer on the Charles Center Summer Research Blog.
- Students are required to participate in the Internship & Applied Learning Showcase, typically held in September.
Application
The application for the Woody Internship in Museum Studies includes:
- Woody Museum Studies Internship Application form (online)
- You will be asked to enter the names of two references :
- One reference must be a faculty member who has taught you in class.
- A second reference may be a former supervisor, acquaintance, etc. who can speak to your ability to be successful in the internship.
- You will be asked to enter the names of two references :
- Cover Letter, addressed to the Charles Center, explaining the following:
- why you are interested in the museum studies internship
- the skill sets, academic preparation, and special interests or experiences you possess that qualify you for the internships you selected
- why you consider yourself a good fit for your chosen internships
- your personal qualities that make you suitable for this opportunity
- how this internship relates to your career and academic goals
- what you hope to gain from this experience
- Writing sample, ranging from 3 to 5 double-spaced pages (not including bibliography, footnotes, or appendix), demonstrating:
- A capacity to craft a coherent and compelling argument using primary and/or secondary sources
- An engagement with history, culture, museums, arts, archaeology, or similar topics
- Attention to language, grammar, syntax, and overall construction
- Resume
- Banner (unofficial) transcript
- To access your unofficial transcript, log in to Banner at banweb.wm.edu, navigate to the “Student” tab, select "Student Records" and then “Student Profile.” On the left-hand menu of your student profile, click “Unofficial William & Mary Academic Transcript.” Select “Undergraduate” and “Web Self-Service” on the drop-down boxes. This will take you to your unofficial transcript; right click anywhere, select “Print,” and select the destination as “Save as PDF.”
- Supplemental work (optional)
- Demonstrates research ability not displayed in the writing sample
- Examples include: art portfolio, digital project, museum exhibit, community project
For more information or questions about the internship program, please contact Maxwell Cloe at mmcloe@wm.edu.
Previous Interns:
2023Sterling Hodge - Preservation Virginia in Richmond, Virginia Emma Jackson - Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in Williamsburg, Virginia Kathryn Keiserman - Jamestown Rediscovery and Historic Jamestown in Jamestown, Virginia Sophia Kim - Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Virginia Hannah Kuhns - Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, Virginia Annabelle Midden - Virginia Museum of History and Culture in Richmond, Virginia Isabel Periera-Lopez - Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library in Winterthur, Delaware Pelumi Sholagbade - Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia in Richmond, Virginia Natalie Simpson - Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation in Jamestown, Virginia Cecilia Weaver - Colonial National Historical Park in Yorktown, Virginia Anna Wershbale - Taft Museum of Art in Cincinnatti, Ohio |
2022Noah Broude - Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library in Winterthur, Delaware Caroline Donovan - Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in Williamsburg, Virginia |
2021Emma Eubank - Taft Museum of Art in Cincinnati, Ohio |
2020Jamie Carkenord - The Phillips Collection in Washington DC
Sophomore| American Studies Julia Gibson- J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, California
Sophomore | History Grant Wong- Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in Williamsburg, Virginia
Junior | History |
2019Clara Poteet - J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, California |
2018Charles Parsons - The Phillips Collection in Washington DC Hannah London - J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, California Caitlin Wagner - Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in Williamsburg, Virginia Lydia Heaton- Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library |
2017Helen Cameron - J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, California
Junior | Art History & Classical Studies major, University of St. Andrews Joint Degree Program Sarah Farver - The Phillips Collection in Washington DC
Junior | History major, Art History minor Emily Knoche - Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in Williamsburg, Virginia
Sophomore | Global Studies major, French & Francophone Studies minor Anna South - Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library
Sophomore | English major, University of St. Andrews Joint Degree Program |
2016Kelsey Frenkiel - The Phillips Collection in Washington DC
Senior | Anthropology major, History minor Emma Merrill - Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in Williamsburg, Virginia
Sophomore | History major, Public Policy minor Isabel Stevens - J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, California
Junior | History and Classics major
|
2015Carter Lyon - The Phillips Collection in Washington DC
Junior | History major, University of St. Andrews Joint Degree Program Rachel Rosenfeld - Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in Williamsburg, Virginia
Sophomore | History and Film and Media Studies majors Claire Tinsley - J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, California
Junior | Art History major
|