Category: HART Museum Studies Fieldwork Seminar S25

Francis Perrigo, BMC 26’ 

Museum Studies Fieldwork: Harriton House

Semester: Spring 2025

Praxis Course: HART 420 Museum Studies Fieldwork

Faculty Advisor: Monique Scott and Sylvia Houghteling

Field Site: Harriton House 

Field Supervisor: Laura Carpenter 

Praxis Poster:

HART_FrancisPerrigo_Poster

 

Further Context:

As part of my praxis course, I interned at Harriton House, a local historical site once owned by Charles Thomson, the secretary of the Continental Congress. During my time there, I completed a range of archival projects that deepened my understanding of historical preservation and organizational recordkeeping. I organized and archived the records of Nancy Walker, a former president of the Harriton Association, as well as materials from two related groups: the Music Study Club and the Lower Merion Society for the Detection and Prosecution of Horse Thieves and the Recovery of Stolen Horses. I also transcribed handwritten correspondence from Paul Maier, another past association president, which offered insights into collection management and the vast number of uncatalogued materials that Harriton holds. In addition, I worked with Harriton’s book collection, helping to inventory and preserve its holdings. My work took place both in person and remotely, depending on the nature of each project, and I often juggled multiple tasks simultaneously. Beyond archival work, I had the chance to care for Harriton’s animals and interact with visitors.  

During my internship, I spent most of my time in the Archive Room, which is located in Harriton House. It was slow and meticulous work, but it taught me a lot. I learned quickly that attention to detail and focus are incredibly important, and you need to have a good idea of your organization system going in. Even little choices like how to group things or what to label a folder can make a big difference in your final product. As I sorted through the bins and file cabinets, I started to get a feel for how collections come together. I got better at recognizing different types of letters based on typeface and paper, and I could recognize different handwriting such as Nancy Walker’s. It was quiet and time-consuming work, but it made me realize how important backstage effort is when running a historic house.   

Without the efforts of archivists, many important documents like original blueprints or association bulletins could be overlooked during research. I also learned some basic preservation skills such as flattening, removing paper clips and paper pins, and sorting documents into acid-free folders and archival boxes. It was very illuminating to learn just how much work needs to go into preserving documents, even modern ones. I realized that my ability to focus is a valuable asset that I hadn’t previously considered. I also got better at trusting my judgment, staying organized, and managing multiple projects. It increased my already high regard for archival work and all the effort that goes into archival departments, no matter how large or small they are.

Lily Petteway, BMC 25′

Educational Research and
Interpretation at Harriton House

Semester: Spring 2025

Praxis Course: HART 420 Museum Studies Fieldwork

Faculty Advisor: Monique Scott and Sylvia Houghteling

Field Site: Harriton House 

Field Supervisor: Laura Carpenter 

Praxis Poster:

HART_LilyPetteway_Revised

 

Further Context:

My work at Harriton this semester was detail-oriented and research-focused, contributing to the house’s current goal of reinterpretation for its various visitors. Historical homes are often small, intimate spaces, and Harriton certainly falls into these categories. Located just a few minutes from Bryn Mawr’s campus, Harriton House has been standing since 1704 and is best known as the residence of Charles Thomson, Secretary to the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1789. Harriton highlights the critical role that local histories play in shaping historical engagement, interest, and education. 

My work centered upon Hannah Harrison Thomson, the inheritor of the Harriton property and Charles Thomson’s wife. After his political career that took Hannah from city to city, Thomson decided to retire the two to Harriton. My goal was to find as much information on Hannah as possible, whether that be through memorandum books or epistolary commentary on Charles’ political affairs. This had me not just digging through Harriton’s archives, but also visiting Philadelphia-based institutions like the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the American Philosophical Society, and the Independence National Historical Park Library. I sifted through and transcribed any letter I could find that was even tangentially related to Hannah, often having to read between the lines given how much historical commentary is focused on Charles instead. This was quiet, independent work but with a scavenger-hunt edge. Hannah’s letters were frequently witty, irreverent, and full of personality, which made highlighting her story at Harriton an exciting undertaking. 

Towards the end of the semester, I began compiling a Girl Scouts “Playing the Past” activity curriculum for girls aged 9-11 visiting Harriton. This ended up being more challenging than I had imagined as I had to think about how I wanted to interpret and synthesize my research for a younger audience. For the badge, girls visit a historical site and step into the shoes of a woman related to the site. I wanted to include a mix of activities that showed the potential limitations for late-eighteenth-century women but also show how women could still carve out spheres of influence for themselves; after all, Hannah’s life experience was so variant given her sudden shift out of the urban, social sphere into the homestead setting of Harriton. Letter/diary writing, mock portrait making, and exploring the house to locate Hannah’s influences were some activities I incorporated. 

Something I came to appreciate throughout my time at Harriton was how community-oriented the site is. The house is very receptive to outside visitors, nearby residents, volunteers, donors, and members that I frequently got to interact with. Harriton has become a staple of the surrounding community and serves not only to preserve that community’s past, but also consider its future. By hosting numerous events that celebrate Lower Merion’s history, running children’s programs, and even simply caring for the goats so beloved by visitors, Harriton fosters engagement that keeps local stories alive. 

Maya Carlino, BMC ’26

Public Trust Archival Display

Semester: Spring 2025

Praxis Course: HART 420 Museum Studies Fieldwork

Faculty Advisor: Monique Scott and Sylvia Houghteling

Field Site: Public Trust

Field Supervisor: Aaron Levy

Praxis Poster: 

HART_MAYACARLINO_Revised

 

Further Context:

This semester I interned at Public Trust, a small arts non-profit on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. While they’ve been around since 2002, they’ve recently rebranded from the Slought Foundation and moved away from curating exhibits and installations to focusing more on one-off events and other interactive programming. They’re dedicated to engaging with the community and have an integrative approach and commitment to health, education, and ecology, which guide their programs.

As I mentioned, Public Trust no longer does temporary exhibitions, however, I was able to help them develop a couple different permanent displays for the space. During my first few weeks, a project by a former intern was wrapping up, and I assisted in hanging three large prints on the wall in the front room. It has been really neat to see how a few minor changes made to the space every week add up to big differences in the end. Aaron Levy, my supervisor, has been consistently upgrading the recording and projecting technology, and the tech booth has gone through a transformation since I’ve been there.

I was tasked with creating a series of archival displays of past programs. I did extensive research through the organization’s archived website, which is open and available to the public online, and designed 44 poster spreads that will soon be hung on the wall in the public forum. It was challenging to keep the designs consistent, as titles, pictures, and information available about dates and times varied between events.

InDesign to create the designs, which I taught to myself over the course of the semester. I had to figure out how to install the special fonts from the previous poster template, relink images, how to create guides to be consistent with my layout, how to place a gradient, and then how to manipulate the colors so they matched the image and also looked good. There is a notorious learning curve for Adobe programs, and InDesign was not any easier to learn how to use, especially for such a specific project like the one I was working on, however, if I hadn’t spent so much time getting things wrong, then I wouldn’t be so confident with the program now.

I am sure the final display will enrich the experiences of visitors to the space. As the audience attends present and future programs, they can learn about the history of knowledge that has been shared at Public Trust.

Tanya Chen, BMC ’25

Woodmere Art Museum

Semester: Spring 2025

Praxis Course: HART 420 Museum Studies Fieldwork

Faculty Advisor: Monique Scott and Sylvia Houghteling

Field Site: Woodmere Museum

Field Supervisor: Amy Gillette

Praxis Poster: 

HART_TanyaChen_Revised

 

Further Context:

For my Museum Studies Fieldwork course, I had the opportunity to intern at the Woodmere Art Museum in Philadelphia, an institution dedicated to celebrating the art and artists of the Philadelphia region. My work focused on writing object labels for artworks that will be displayed in Woodmere’s new building, which is currently under development. This experience introduced me to various curatorial and interpretive practices within a museum deeply rooted in its local community.

As an archaeology major, I came into the internship with a background in ancient art and material culture, but I had little experience working with contemporary art, which makes up the majority of Woodmere’s collection. Writing for a public audience—especially about art I wasn’t initially familiar with—was a challenge, but one that taught me a lot about accessibility, research, and how curators shape visitor experiences through language. I worked closely with staff to refine object texts that communicate both factual and emotional significance.

One moment that stood out to me was identifying a Chinese bronze money tree among the jewelry collection—an object that had not yet been catalogued. Thanks to my archaeological training, I was able to recognize and contextualize the piece, bringing new insight to the collection. This moment reminded me how transferable my skills are and how knowledge from one discipline can enrich another.

Balancing the internship with a demanding senior year and multiple jobs wasn’t easy. Time management was a real struggle, and I often found myself stretched thin. Still, the experience reaffirmed my interest in working in museums and helped me think more critically about sustainable work conditions in the field—especially for emerging professionals and students.

With the museum preparing to open a new building, Woodmere is clearly expanding its reach and vision. Its emphasis on community engagement, regional storytelling, and inclusivity is what makes it such a dynamic place to learn. I’m grateful to have contributed to this moment of growth, and I leave with a stronger understanding of the interpretive work museums do—and how I hope to participate in that work in the future.

 Natalie Cincotta , BMC 26′

Quaker Collection and
Education Templates

Semester: Spring 2025

Praxis Course: HART 420 Museum Studies Fieldwork

Faculty Advisor: Monique Scott and Sylvia Houghteling

Field Site: Arch Street Meeting House

Field Supervisor: Jennifer Lee Gray

Praxis Poster:

HART_NatalieCincotta_Revised

 

Further Context:

Arch Street Meeting House was a chance find from searching for praxis internship opportunities online, and I was incredibly fortunate to work for them for my junior spring semester. I’ve always had a deep interest in the work that goes into maintaining a historic property museum, and I’m overjoyed to have had the opportunity to gain such a wonderful experience. Arch Street Meeting House is a historic Quaker meeting house that functions as a museum, rental space, and meeting place for an active Quaker congregation. I worked there as an intern through Arch Street Preservation Trust, an organization created to preserve and create museum spaces in the building.

I worked on two main projects in my time at ASMH. My first task included researching and cataloging a collection of historical objects that belong to a Quaker community member from New Jersey. The collection of over 140 objects contained clothing, keepsakes, and letters, which ranged in date from 1830 to 1930. As I took time photographing each piece of clothing, written correspondence, shoe, or household object, I became enraptured with this history puzzle, connecting different generations of one family into a complete and detailed document. This project taught me a lot, including how to delve into Quaker databases, navigate Ancestry.com, and strengthen my transcription skills with old letters and notes. I hope that my work sheds some light on the objects and their history and brings some happiness to the women who brought them into ASMH looking for some family stories.

My second project focused on the education side of museum work. I created a hands-on worksheet activity for kids to learn more about museums! My activity involved rolling a set of giant dice to determine a specific kind of museum that visitors could then draw and design on paper. I gave examples of what ASMH was with each one, and I even had a little boy roll a perfect set of dice to describe ASMH! It is a small, urban, historical property museum that does not collect new items for its archives and focuses on religious history. I found my experience in creating educational materials to be overwhelming at times, especially since I had never attempted that kind of work before. While I had ups and downs throughout the process, both my supervisor and other staff members helped me constantly, from start to finish. I loved learning what things worked and what things I need to rework for the next time.

In my entire time at ASMH, my favorite part was the people I met, from research-minded visitors to the lovely museum staff and docent volunteers. I loved every conversation I was able to have about museums, Quakers, and the historic building itself. Throughout this experience, I have not only increased my research and activity-building skills but also my understanding of how small museums work day to day, and even month to month.  I hope to continue interning at ASMH this coming summer and assist with the refurbishing of their exhibition space, which has plans to be revealed next year.  If you’re ever in the Old City area and want to stop by a wonderful museum with an amazing history, stop by Arch Street Meeting House; you may find me there!

Eli Cole, BMC 25′

Library Internship: Historical Society of Pennsylvania

Semester: Spring 2025

Praxis Course: HART 420 Museum Studies Fieldwork

Faculty Advisor: Monique Scott and Sylvia Houghteling

Field Site: Historical Society of Pennsylvania

Field Supervisor: Anthony DiGiovann

Praxis Poster:

HART_EliCole_REVISED

 

Further Context:

For my Museum Studies Fieldwork course, I had the opportunity to work at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in their library department, learning about several different aspects of the work involved in running a special collections library. I worked with Anthony DiGiovanni, the Director of Cataloging Services at the Historical Society, to catalog, page, and reshelve books, assist with front-facing work at the reference desk, and work on larger reorganizing and inventorying projects in the library stacks. 

Over the course of this experience, I learned how to use different library classification systems– the Historical Society uses several, including the Dewey Decimal System, Library of Congress classification system, and their own proprietary system–and navigate the library’s vaults to find resources. I also learned how to use MARC records to catalog a book and update it in the library’s holdings. This involved both adding it to the Historical Society’s system and exporting it to UPenn’s online catalog, which hosts HSP’s catalog data and makes it available to the public. While shadowing Anthony at the reference desk, I learned about the kinds of questions patrons often ask when they come in to do research, and what resources– online databases, research guides, HSP’s catalog– I could point them towards to help them find what they were looking for. 

One of the bigger projects I was involved with during this experience was moving a collection of books back into the Historical Society’s stacks. These books were some of HSP’s oldest collections, with books dating back to the 1500s, and had previously been held at the special collections library next door, the Library Company of Philadelphia, as part of a longstanding agreement. Because the terms of the agreement had recently changed, this collection is now being brought back into the Historical Society’s stacks. I helped with the move, and with shifting and reorganizing books on some of the library shelves to make space for the returning collection. As we brought the books back, I helped inventory them, checking them against both the Library Company and the Historical Society’s catalogs to make sure they were properly classified and accounted for. There were frequent complications, so this project required a lot of time and attention to detail. 

This experience has given me a greater understanding and appreciation of all the different kinds of library work and the ways they connect to each other. I feel like I have learned a lot about all the work that goes into running a special collections library, and this experience has made me excited to learn more about library and archival work in the future. 

Ella Evans, BMC 25′

Archival Inventorying at the Fabric Workshop and Museum

Semester: Spring 2025

Praxis Course: HART 420 Museum Studies Fieldwork

Faculty Advisor: Monique Scott and Sylvia Houghteling

Field Site: Fabric Workshop and Museum

Field Supervisor: Justin Hall

Praxis Poster:

HART_EllaEvans_FWMPoster

 

Further Context:

This past semester, I had the wonderful opportunity to intern with the Fabric Workshop and Museum (FWM) in their museum archives. Marion ‘Kippy’ Boulton Stroud founded the workshop in 1977, and the institution has collaborated with artists to create contemporary art in a variety of media ever since. The workshop pushes artists to move outside of their comfort zones or preferred media and embrace innovation and possibility. From its onset, the FWM has collected the contemporary art produced during its artist-in-residence collaborations, which means that they have a robust and multifaceted collection. I focused on several different projects during my internship which were geared towards inventorying and cataloguing parts of the collection in order to increase public accessibility. 

My main project examined the accessioned object records in CollectionSpace, FWM’s online records management software. My role was to evaluate the presence and quality of the images in the over 1100 objects accessioned into the FWM’s permanent collection and create an inventory spreadsheet. This spreadsheet will be used in the future to ensure that all of the accessioned objects in the collection have high-quality photographs, so that each object’s information can be uploaded to FWM’s public browser site. This future site will assist researchers and the public in learning about the diverse collection of art at the museum. During my internship, my supervisor used the spreadsheet to locate items of clothing in the collection that had low-quality or absent photos and then scheduled photography sessions with the staff photographer to begin the process of building the index of website-worthy photos. I assisted with arranging t-shirts, robes, and dresses during these photography sessions, and it was so cool to be hands-on with the artwork. 

Besides the photo inventory project, I worked to catalogue the materials in several different Artist Boxes in the FWM’s collection. These Artist Boxes contained process materials from the stay of contemporary artists during their Artist-in-Residences at the FWM. Through my cataloguing, I created a visual guide of the materials in the Artist Boxes for future use by researchers. This project let me hone my cataloguing skills and I gained practice describing collection objects and formatting museum documents. 

Additionally, the FWM attended the IFPDA print fair in New York City in March. Prior to the fair, I assisted my supervisor with conducting condition reports of objects, small conservation measures for objects, and packing objects for shipment to New York. I learned important art handling skills from my supervisor during this experience, understanding the intricacies of bubble wrap and frame tape. 

Reflecting on my diverse experiences at the FWM, I learned so much about the role of archives and registrars within small museum institutions. This experience solidified my desire to pursue a role in museum archives upon graduation. Ultimately, I am so grateful to all the FWM staff to being so supportive through my internship. I’m excited to see the new projects that the FWM decides to embark on! 

Olivia Herman, BMC 26′

Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History

Semester: Spring 2025

Praxis Course: HART 420 Museum Studies Fieldwork

Faculty Advisor: Monique Scott and Sylvia Houghteling

Field Site: Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History

Field Supervisor: Claire Pingel

Praxis Poster:

HART_OliviaHerman_REVISED

 

Further Context:

For my museum studies praxis, I worked at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History which is located in Independence Mall in downtown Philadelphia. The museum celebrates the history of Jews in America dating back to the 17th century. The museum’s goal is to provide a place where American Jews and people of all backgrounds can learn about the diversity of the American Jewish experience and Jews’s role in American history. The museum has three main exhibition floors each focusing on a different chunk of time: 1654-1880, 1880-1945, and 1945- today (or 2006), and one more floor with a focus on prominent Jews in American history.  

I worked specifically in the collections and registration department where I completed a variety of different tasks. I learned how and did exhibit walkthroughs, where I made sure everything in the exhibit was clean, where it was supposed to be, and that all the humidity and temperature-controlled cases were at the correct level. I also did a lot of work for their special exhibition “The First Salute” which is opening in April of next year for the 250th anniversary of America. I helped out with artifact research, finding loan information, organization of potential artifacts, and adding loans to the museum’s online database. I also helped out with the museum’s collaboration with a local high school which are doing a small temporary exhibit at the museum as well as an online exhibit. I’ve also helped with processing loan returns and final condition checks. I’ve conducted research also on a potential future exhibit based on something in the museum’s collection.  

During my time at the Weitzman, I have learned also about the behind the scenes of a museum and all that goes into museum work. I’ve gained a variety of new skills such as working with a museum database and gaining proficiency with Excel. I also understand more about how museum loans work and how much planning needs to go into them months before an exhibit will open. I also better understand the process behind creating a new exhibit and how many people both internal and external are involved as well as what each role in the process entails. 

Delaney Kenney, HC 25′

The Franklin Institute: Youth Programs

Semester: Spring 2025

Praxis Course: HART 420 Museum Studies Fieldwork

Faculty Advisor: Monique Scott and Sylvia Houghteling

Field Site: The Franklin Institute

Field Supervisor: Carly Netting

Praxis Poster:

HART_DELANEYKENNEY_REVISED

 

Further Context:

This spring, I had the pleasure of working at The Franklin Institute (TFI), Philadelphia’s science and technology museum. TFI was founded in 1824 by Samuel Vaughan Merrick and William H. Keating in order to promote the love of science and technology through experiential, hands-on learning. During my time, I worked primarily with the Youth Programs team, but I also had the amazing opportunity to speak with a wide range of TFI professionals. I learned more about how science museums function as a collaborative space dedicated to inspiring the scientist in us all. 

The Franklin Institute has three main youth programs that I engaged with: PACTS (Partnership for Achieving Careers in Technology and Science), STEM Scholars, and Franklin Ambassadors. PACTS is a program that serves 60 middle school students by organizing biweekly scientific workshops. I assisted with the Science Investigators sector of this program in which the students get to learn about different areas of science in every workshop. The coolest workshop I assisted with was helping students to build a robotic arm!  

STEM Scholars serves high school students in weekly workshops conducted by partner organizations, such as the University of Pennsylvania and Saint Joseph’s University. Students are split by grade and each grade comes into the Museum once a week for their designated workshop. I engaged with the sophomore class and got the opportunity to both mentor students and assist professional researchers with the implementation of their programming. My favorite workshop was measuring the neuronal response of venus fly traps!  

I spent the majority of my time with the Franklin Ambassadors. The Ambassadors are a high school leadership cohort who do everything from mentoring younger students to being extra hands for museum events to attending weekly career and college readiness seminars. I loved getting to forge close relationships with a number of Ambassadors and see them grow throughout the semester both personally as well as in their leadership roles! My main projects with the Ambassadors were to create a seminar for their weekly series and to organize a laboratory field trip for them. My seminar was part of their career and college readiness series and focused on tips and tricks for resume-building. The lab visit I arranged was to my own thesis laboratory at Bryn Mawr! I brought the Ambassadors into my lab and exposed them to both electroencephalography (EEG) technology and virtual reality. I ran them as mock-participants for my thesis study, which revolves around investigating the neural correlates of deception utilizing virtual reality, and also taught them how to be study administrators themselves. It was such a fun experience to see them become neuroscience researchers for the day!  

My main project as an intern was to develop an original community outreach project. I was given the task of designing a set of activities related to a scientific topic of my choice that had to engage all ages for anywhere from 15 seconds to 15 minutes. I chose to create a project based around the neuroscience behind illusions, to function as an extension of TFI’s optical illusions exhibit. I collaborated with both the Design and Curriculum Development teams to produce a set of 8 activities with corresponding scientific explanation cards. It was such an interesting experience to see the process through which multiple different departments work together to create a project. I presented my activities alongside Ambassadors at Smith Playground’s Play-a-Palooza, and it was such a rewarding experience to see community members enjoy them so much! My project will serve as TFI’s outreach program for the next year.  

Reflecting on my time at TFI, I learned so much about how science museums function as well as the ways in which museums leverage their resources to best serve their communities. This experience has greatly prepared me for my post-graduation position as a social impact fellow at the Museum of Science in Boston. I am so grateful for my mentors as well as my students for welcoming me into TFI and helping me develop my skills as a science museum educator! 

Carey Klopfenstein, BMC ’26

Work with the P.A. Browne Collection at The Academy of Natural Sciences

Semester: Spring 2025

Praxis Course: HART 420 Museum Studies Fieldwork

Faculty Advisor: Monique Scott and Sylvia Houghteling

Field Site: The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University

Field Supervisor: Jessica Lydon

Praxis Poster:

HART_Carey_Klopfenstein_Final

 

Further Context:

My dad snatched away the lollipop two-year-old me was licking gleefully when he realized it contained a scorpion at its center. He’d bought me the lollipop at the gift shop on the way out of one of our many visits to the Academy of Natural Science during my childhood. My earliest memories of learning to love museums take place at the Academy, like learning about Prehistory and doing mock Paleontological digs.  

I never expected I would be returning to the Academy as an intern after all these years. In high school, I became passionate about social justice issues related to museums, in particular the repatriation of the remains of Indigenous Peoples and the representation of Indigenous peoples in museums. I chose Bryn Mawr College in part because of its Museum Studies program, and I declared an Anthropology major to fit with my career goal of working in a museum. Because of my childhood experience, I associated the Academy with dinosaurs and bugs rather than Anthropology. When Tiffany Stahl, the associate director for Praxis, suggested that I look into interning at the Academy for my Praxis internship, I didn’t expect to find any positions related to the treatment of Indigenous Peoples in museums. 

To my surprise, the Academy had the perfect position for me. Despite no longer having any exhibits related to Anthropology, the Academy still has a collection from the nineteenth century that contains specimens of human hair collected by the scientist Peter Arrell Browne. The Bureau of Indian Affairs had requested a list of the groups of people whose hair was included in Browne’s collection to whom the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) apply. I compiled a list of all the terms that Browne used for Indigenous peoples in the United States. I also researched the terms that Browne used to find out what terms the descendants of the people whom these specimens were taken from prefer to be referred to in the modern day.  

From this updated information, I created a data dictionary for the Academy. At the BIA’s request, I also calculated the number of hair samples and people that corresponded with each legacy term. I identified the date when each specimen was collected, as well as the contact information for the relevant federally recognized tribes and entities for each specimen, to enable the Academy to contact the descendants of the people the samples were taken from. 

I also did research in the Academy’s archives to collect information about the life of Peter Arrell Browne, and also to find further information for other projects I have been working on. Peter Arrell Browne was a member of the Academy of Natural Sciences. He was a geologist who also studied animal and human hair. He was deeply racist, and he used his studies of human hair to support his argument that humans fall into three separate species. While views like this are frequently excused as products of their time, I’d like to note that this view was not universal in Browne’s day, and many of the academics that Browne argued against did not share it. Browne also worked with other prominent scientific racists of the time, such as Samuel G. Morton. Browne’s correspondence also revealed racism and cruelty on a personal level. 

I found my experience interning at the Academy to be extremely valuable.  It gave me crucial additional experience with archival research. I also found it fulfilling to be doing work that makes a positive change in an area I care deeply about. My motivation for working in museums in my career is to try to remedy the racial injustices that museums have perpetuated.I’m grateful for the opportunity to have learned through my experience and, through one small step in what will be a long process, make a positive impact.