Name: Kelly Thompson

Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Baltimore Museum of Industry

Position Title: Intern

Major(s)/Minor(s): Art History

Work Term: Spring 2019 

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.

I worked in the collections department. I really enjoyed my time at the museum because they allowed me to do a bit of everything. I got a broad overview of the "behind the scenes" jobs. I started out doing inventory in their corner store gallery and took photos of every object in the gallery. Then, I uploaded them and updated the PastPerfect system. I worked with about 300 objects and gave a majority of them new object ID numbers. It took about 2 months to fully finish that project, then I started working on unframing works from their cold storage unit. I also got to go to their offsite location in Sparrows Point to help with the collecting of Bethlehem Steel objects.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?

I am an Art History major and aspire to work in an art museum. I had asked my previous professor Sandra Abbott if she knew of any internships going on in museums, given that she has a few ties in the museum world. She was very helpful and helped me find this internship. I emailed the head of the collections department and told her that I was interested in interning at the museum. Not long after, I had an interview. I came prepared with a cover letter and resume. The interview went very well, I thanked them for their time, and about a week later they had emailed me back saying that I had gotten the internship. Although the Baltimore Museum of Industry isn't an art museum, I have gained so much museum experience.

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization? 

Not only have I gained so much experience, but I have made friends with all of the people that I have worked with. Everyone there was very helpful and were quick to lend a helping hand or to explain something if I didn't quite understand it.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

I believe I have made an impact because I put in my full effort everytime I worked. I didn't treat it like an internship, I treated it like an actual job. I was able to finish the main project that they had given me and was also able to start new projects as well. I'm a hard worker and right when I would get to the museum I would just go straight to work. They said that they enjoyed me and the work I did so much that they asked if I would stay even after my internship ended. 

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience? 

To be open and to not have too many expectations of how hard you think it will be. Go in there confident, wanting to learn, but also letting them know that you'll be an asset to them. Treat it as if it's a real life job and always show up on time and dress accordingly. Always take it seriously and try your best; if you have questions, ask them. Even though you may think that no one notices the intern, I can tell you that it's not true. I was noticed by everyone in the museum, even in other departments. The goal is to make a good impression so that they want to keep you around even after your internship is up. 

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Are you running out of summer spending money and need help finding creative ways to save money? Do you want one-on-one assistance with creating a budget? Click on the flyer to find out how you can apply to participate in the myBudgetCoach program!

As an honors university, we take great pride in preparing you, our student, to be successful in all of your pursuits. Managing money is an important part of your daily life and we want to assure that you are well-versed in this important life skill that many find challenging. 

Your journey to financial wellness begins now with our interactive (and entertaining) online FinancialSmarts Cash Course! This multi-module, self-paced course ensures that you are as well-prepared to manage your budgets, bank accounts, assets and debt as you are to master your academic and career interests. To enroll in the online FinancialSmarts CashCourse click here. 

Once you have enrolled in the course, you are welcome to complete as many modules as you would like, whenever you choose to do so. However, here’s where FinancialSmarts start to pay off... By September 15, 2019:

● If you complete the pre-assessment and one module, your name will be entered in our $100 campus card deposit drawing.

● If you complete the pre-assessment and two or more modules, your name will be entered in our $300 campus card deposit drawing.

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Campus card deposits can be used anywhere that you can use your campus card. For example:

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Be sure to complete modules by September 15, 2019 to be entered into the drawings! All drawings will take place on September 16, 2019. So don’t wait...get started now! If you have questions about the online FinancialSmarts Cash Course, please feel free to contact us at financialsmarts@umbc.edu. 

Enjoy the remainder of your summer and best wishes for a successful first semester at UMBC!

Sincerely,

Your UMBC FinancialSmarts Team