1) Personal experience with placing and/or supervising paid and/or unpaid interns.
Throughout my time at the University of West Georgia I have completed three internships, ranging from small to large museums. Each of my internships were unpaid, but I received academic credit. In turn, my progress was tracked by a professor and intern supervisor. Before starting each internship, I had to sign a detailed list of objectives and goals I was required to meet. Having weekly journal entries and a midterm evaluation—completed by the supervisor—helped me track my work progress. Another helpful requirement was producing a portfolio. Completing an internship for academic credit has helped me as a student and professionally.
My first internship was supervised by a graduate research assistant. Being an undergraduate student at that time, I think the arrangement worked well. I was learning from someone who was knowledgeable about the field and she gained leadership skills.
Each of my internships were unique and helped me learn new professional skills. I am thankful for each opportunity, but I wish I could have been paid.
2) Specific issues that your experiences have raised concerning the prevalence of unpaid internships and their impact on student interns, institutions, and the profession more generally.
Being a student, I feel the downside to having an unpaid internship is the expenses related to having an internship. For example, I have not had one internship with less than a two hour commute. This one extra expense can hinder the possibility of having quality interns who are hardworking, eager to learn, and diverse.
3) Your assessment of the importance of internships in training public historians.
Internships are important because they help students get real world experience. Students learn many things during an internship that simply cannot be leaned within a classroom. For example, someone can read about collections and not understand proper handling techniques, storage requirements, and/or cataloging. Sometimes the best leaning experiences happen through doing.
4) Possible strategies or solutions that might make internships more equitable for all parties concerned.
- Universities could give scholarship opportunities to students who intern at off-campus facilities. This would offset the burden many students feel and give many underserved students an equal chance to intern.
- Have paid internships but a rigorous application process. For instance, require students to submit letters of recommendation from their professors and have a minimum GPA requirement.
~ Chanell Lowery, University of West Georgia
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