Student Internship Program at the Michigan Historical Museum
The Michigan Historical Museum and the Archives of Michigan offer internship programs. Student interns may gain academic credit for their internship as well as practical experience to complement their academic studies before entering professional pursuits.
Internships are unpaid and are available for graduate students in an approved program as volunteer experience or for academic credit. Education requirements include introductory course work in Archives and/or Museum management.
Internship Opportunities
Summer 2014
Internships are available in the Archives of Michigan and in the Education and Collections Units of the Michigan Historical Museum.
Archives of Michigan
Internship experience includes:
- Customer registration
- Archival arrangement and descriptions
- Reference assistance
- Review of archival offsite storage
- Familiarization and interaction with state Records Management Services
- Exhibit research and planning
- Electronic records preservation
Michigan Historical Museum
Museum Collections unit:
- Assist in artifact cataloging, inventory, research and storage
- Participate in exhibit planning and development
- Acquire working understanding of museum's policies and procedures
- Review offsite storage
- Visit museum system field sites
- Evaluate museum exhibits
- Electronic records preservation
Museum Education unit:
- Assist with program creation and development
- Assist with teacher training programs
- Assist in education development for special exhibits
- Develop gallery education materials
- Evaluate creation and development
- Create education programming
Learning Agreement: Internships at the Michigan Historical Center are based on learning objectives defined by the intern, his/her faculty advisor and the museum supervisor to develop a mutually beneficial project. Learning objectives will serve as a basis for project identification, respective responsibilities, internship length and evaluation.
Evaluation: The intern and supervisor will determine evaluation standards and submit them to the intern's faculty advisor and the museum internship coordinator. Interns are expected to provide the intern supervisor with any evaluation forms from their respective college or university.
Credits/Grades: Students may be eligible for academic credit. The word "credit" applies to any numerical factors, grades or special arrangements that the school acknowledges for this purpose. Students need to check with their respective university advisors or faculty for internship or independent study requirements. Students must follow their university's requirement to receive credit for their work and are responsible for the completion of all necessary paperwork. Museum supervisors will provide evaluations and recommendations, but will not provide a grade on the internship. Academic institutions determine the students' grades/credits.
Application Deadline: April 1, 2014
HOW TO APPLY
- Complete the internship application form
- Compose a cover letter that includes:
- your academic major and minor
- particular academic and/or work interests that may relate to a museum internship
- the site(s) where you would like work
- E-mail the application, cover letter and your resume to:
Jo Anne Arasim
Internship Coordinator
Michigan Historical Center
arasimj@michigan.gov
QUESTIONS? Contact Jo Anne Arasim at (517) 373‑1905 or arasimj@michigan.gov.
Is an internship not quite the right fit? You might be interested in:
Contact the Michigan Historical Center.
Updated 09/30/2013
