Sophia Rampone ’21 shared her passion for the arts with children in her summer 2019 internship at Davis Studio, a bustling community arts center in Burlington. She described her job as everything that needed doing, including instructor support and volunteer orientation. The work brought her into close contact with arts administrators and instructors. That’s key experience, because Rampone is combining a studio art major with a business administration degree concentrating in marketing and entrepreneurship. “I want to be an independent business owner and teach and market my art,” she says. “I worked closely with Teresa Davis, the owner of the studio, to learn how she's grown her own successful business. She even takes time out of her schedule to make this a better learning experience for me, discussing the business side of owning a studio.” Rampone is grateful to the College of Arts & Sciences for providing an internship scholarship. “It allowed me to have a valuable learning experience and concentrate on my career over the summer.”

Anna Duckworth ’20 of Woodbury, Conn., has a double major art history and art education, with an independently designed minor in museum studies. In the summer of 2019 she worked as a studio art Intern at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. She received assistance from a College of Arts and Sciences Internship Scholarship which covered her living expenses. “Boston is expensive, so it would have been impossible for me to complete this internship without that funding,” Duckworth worked with children ages 5-18 in studio art classes offered at the museum throughout the summer. She was paired with a teaching artist to educate children about art-making and art history, with a curriculum influenced by pieces in the museum’s collection. Duckworth said the internship gave her opportunities to apply lessons she’s learned in her UVM classes. “Whether I was teaching kids about the cultural significance of a certain work, or encouraging them to use Visual Thinking Strategies, almost everything I did touched on something I’ve learned about in class.” She sees the experience as future changing. “It’s given me a sense of direction about where I want to end up after graduation by showing me what is really possible in the museum world.”

On the first day of her summer internship at Boston Magazine, studio art major Sara Jaye ’20 received a tour of the office which includes an archive room holding issues of the magazine dating back to the 70’s. “Every day I selected a magazine from a different year. Whenever I had spare time, I loved seeing how design has evolved to be what it is today.” Jaye got a first-hand education on modern design technology, but still appreciates the beautiful simplicity of design before computers became the standard tool for digital art. She handled a wide range of assignments including creating sales and marketing collateral, assisting the senior graphic designer with ad content creation, and helping out with special events. The experience has deepened her skills in design and is helping her understand how her work fits in with the bigger picture. “I’ll be able to show people I have real experience in the design industry, interacting not just with designers but people in marketing, sales and editorial departments. It’s a very diverse perspective.”

As a photography student at UVM, Neville Caulfield '20 understands the painstaking creative process required to produce the desired effect. This summer, he got the opportunity to work with industry pros at Milk Studios, a high-end photography studio and media agency in New York City with a client list that includes Theory, Adidas, Clinique, Pharrell, and Victoria's Secret. A double major in writing and studio art, Neville worked as an intern managing studios and preparing lighting and equipment for client shoots. It was a fast-paced job with challenging physical labor, something he’s used to as a distance runner on UVM’s track and cross-country teams. Neville found connections between his athletic experience and working at Milk Studios. “The team mentality is extremely important to maintain if you have any interest in achieving your maximum potential, not only as a group but as an individual,” he said. “It was a priceless learning opportunity—I got to see the multitude of jobs and careers that go into running a studio, and the commitment to create high quality work.”

Ally Tanaka '20 says "My internship in Sevilla, Spain was amazing. The museum is a historical site, as it was a 17th century hospice center for priests who were infected by the black plague but is now el Centro de Velazquez, displaying the art of local artists Velazquez and Murillo. When I arrived, I was immediately working on awards and grants given from the foundation to support contemporary artists. The work was strenuous but very engaging. I spoke with local artists and also artists from as far away as Mexico, which was a challenge because I had to be conversational in Spanish. I used the library archives to study the art and the history of the building and wrote a comprehensive guide in English, augmented with an audio guide, for the Hospital de los Venerables. I was placed in charge of translating loan agreements between the museum and the National Gallery in London, an additional opportunity to increase my Spanish vocabulary. There were days when I would work on promotional aspects in addition to leading tours when I felt lucky to be able to take part in the work of running the museum. I will not forget the work of one of my favorite artists, Fernando Botero, who had a permanent piece in the contemporary art wing. Or, if I preferred, I was able to stare at the Immaculate Conception by Velazquez anytime I wanted to."

Ailinn Santos '19 was a teacher’s assistant for studio art classes at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston during the summer of 2018. Working with various teachers and a range of ages from five to eighteen, Ailinn assisted museum educators while also teaching her own lessons, while incorporating objects in the Museum into her lessons. “Numerous enrichment programs were offered so that I could experience additional aspects of museum work such as curation and restoration. The Museum of Fine Arts undoubtedly provided me with an outstanding experience that I will most definitely cherish forever. The internship grant helped make one of my dreams come true.”

"Under direction of the SFMOMA Individual Giving Department, I curated a stewardship event for donors and their families to have greater accessibility to the museum. This was a result of major research on successful museum family programs nationally and internationally, as well as fieldwork with donors to construct a relevant and meaningful program. My final end project was presented to various departments of the SFMOMA (Curatorial, Development, Human Resources, and Individual Giving), and will be implemented in the spring of 2017. Cumulatively, all aspects of my project utilized skillsets that I gained while studying Art History and Anthropology at the University of Vermont. From research strategy and critical thinking, to fieldwork and public speaking, I could not be more grateful to the University of Vermont for providing me with life skills that have already benefitted my career as a recent graduate." 

– Amelia Garrison '16

"I had a terrific internship working one on one with Kelsy Parkhouse, the designer and founder of Carleen in Brooklyn, NY. I was able to experience nearly every part of executing a successful women's clothing line. I recommend that everyone undertake an internship before graduating, as mine helped me feel so much more at ease about the future." 

– Kailey Rinder ‘16