Session: Building Equitable Internship Experiences: A Win for Museums, Universities, and Students

Sunday, April 6

1 - 2:30 PM

Location: Ithaca Downtown Conference Center

About: 

Join museum and university professionals, intertwined by the student/intern experience, as they discuss the benefits and challenges of building equitable internship programs. Discover how establishing interdisciplinary partnerships and cultivating lesser known funding sources can grow internship sustainability, enhance institutional capacity, and amplify student professional development. Eight presenters with differing perspectives will lead conversations about creating successful student programs within museums of varying types, sizes, and budgets. By the end of the session, audience members should take away models and methodologies for developing inclusive, budget-conscious, and mutually impactful internship programs and partnerships.

Presenters:

Kate Grindstaff, Education and Outreach Coordinator, Seward House Museum

Kate Grindstaff is the Education and Outreach Coordinator at the Seward House Museum, a position she has held since 2021. Within the Museum, Ms. Grindstaff is responsible for a broad array of community outreach initiatives and is committed to increasing accessibility and equity, forging relationships with new audiences, and uplifting the next generation of museum leaders. A graduate of Southern Illinois University, she is currently pursuing her MA in Museum Studies from Syracuse University.

Andrew J. Saluti, Associate Professor, Program Coordaintor, Museum Studies,Syracuse University

Andrew J Saluti is associate professor and program coordinator for the Museum Studies program at Syracuse University. With 20 years of professional practice in both archival and art collecting institutions, Saluti’s ongoing research and pedagogy comprises curatorship and collections practice with specific on the role of institutional responsibility, stewardship, and sustainability of academic collection building in the curatorship of prints and works on paper.

Tamar W. Carroll, Professor and Chair, Department of History, Rochester Institute of Technology

Tamar Carroll teaches in the History and Museum Studies programs at RIT and is Secretary of the Board of Trustees for the National Susan B. Anthony Museum and House. She works with undergraduate student research assistants to produce exhibitions and other public history projects. Carroll also works to facilitate and support student internships at local cultural heritage institutions.

Whitney Tassie, Grants and Awards Program Lead, David M. Einhorn Center for Community Engagement, Cornell University

Whitney supports students, staff, faculty, and community partners as they develop and implement community-engaged learning projects funded by the Einhorn Center. From 2012 through 2022, she was the curator of modern and contemporary art at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts at the University of Utah. Whitney has a Masters in Modern Art History, Theory and Criticism from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a Bachelors in Art History from Cornell University.

Lisa Kopp, Visitor Experience Manager,  Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Lisa Kopp is the Visitor Experience Manager for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology Visitor Center. Lisa holds a Masters in Art History and Museum Studies from Georgetown University and has spent nearly two decades at the intersection of the visitor experience and education programming through positions at the Smithsonian, National Building Museum and National Geographic Museum. Most recently Lisa spearheaded the multi-million dollar renovation of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology Visitor Center.

Sarah Fiorello, Interpretation Coordinator, Cornell Botanic Gardens

Sarah has been Interpretation Coordinator at Cornell Botanic Gardens for over 17 years and is responsible for creating and updating Cornell Botanic Gardens’ interpretive master plan as well as planning, writing, and coordinating the design and installation of all interpretive materials She loves teaches a Cornell course during the spring semester titled “Museum and Park Interpretation” and holds a Bachelor of Science in natural resources and a Master of Professional Studies in horticulture from Cornell University.

Karen Mendoza, Visitor Experience Assistant, Cornell University College of Human Ecology

Karen Mendoza is the Visitor Experience Assistant for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology Visitor Center. Karen is an undergraduate senior in the Cornell University College of Human Ecology studying Human-Centered Design. In coherence with her position at the Lab, Karen has worked in evidence-based design projects for environmental science, justice and health initiatives. Karen grounds her work in partnerships with community-driven organizations and focuses on intercultural collaborations.

Reagan Graney, Specialist, NG Media, National Geographic Content

Reagan Graney is an Auburn, NY native who loves history and storytelling. These passions are due in large part to her time as an intern at the Seward House Museum, where she gave tours, conducted research projects, and authored an original historical fiction story for children. Now, Reagan lives in Washington, D.C., where she works as a Media Specialist at National Geographic Content. In her spare time, Reagan enjoys visiting the Smithsonian museums and watching Nationals baseball games.