University of Georgia students who work as paid interns and student workers at the Georgia Museum of Art are essential to the museum’s everyday operations, filling a variety of hands-on roles across the curatorial, education, communications, registration, development and preparation departments. Here, several students share their favorite learning experiences and other highlights from the spring semester.
Norin Bortz (graphic design)
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Georgia Museum of Art thus far. I have learned so many new ways to approach informative design and gained so much knowledge of how the feedback/critique process works in a professional setting. I’ve gotten to stretch some of my creative muscles by working on more open-ended projects like Study Break and Pop-Up Market posters but have also learned the importance of being specific with my use of typography in our more uniform projects. The Georgia Museum of Art has such a welcoming and encouraging staff, and I am extremely grateful to have the pleasure of working and learning from everyone here. Thank you so much to Noelle Shuck, Michael Lachowski and Hillary Brown for their patience and continued mentorship in all things communication and design!
Isa Davis (publications)
This semester I did a lot of research for the blog posts I wrote. One of my favorites, however, was getting to write about the Carter Collection. I got to investigate so many great artists, like Joan Jonas, talk to my friend who is a walking Jimmy Carter encyclopedia, and read transcripts from a colloquium that was held here at UGA, where the artist who donated the collection discussed their hope for the art and artist as Carter’s term was getting started. It was a moving article to write, especially as we think about current issues.
Emma Fass (registration)
This semester, I interned with the Registration Department at the museum. I’m grateful for this incredibly rewarding experience to learn firsthand about the work that goes into museums. I’m more confident in working with collections through my experiences this semester, handling objects, managing the museum system database, and condition reporting the museum’s new acquisitions. However, the most lasting impact has been the warm community I found at the museum and the lasting connections I formed. Interning with the Georgia Museum of Art this semester has been a truly invaluable experience.
Guinever James (education)
I am a third-year undergrad majoring in anthropology and art history, and this semester I was an intern in the education department at the Georgia Museum of Art. Throughout my internship, I participated in public school outreach, conducted research for gallery talks and planned a pop-up exhibition from start to finish with guidance from my amazing supervisor, Callan Steinmann. If you’re considering a career in museum education or outreach, I can’t recommend this internship enough. The hands-on experience and the impact you get to make through museum and art education is incredibly rewarding. It’s been such a meaningful and inspiring experience!
Amanda Khang (education)
Working at the Georgia Museum of Art has been such a pleasant experience. All of the UGA administration at the museum are extremely friendly and helpful. The museum plans and hosts great events like Student Night, yoga, Morning Mindfulness and Family Day. Family Day is such an amazing program and is one of my favorites. It is always heartwarming to see families together and see parents with their children exploring and creating art.
Winston Lovelace (exhibition design)
Interning at Georgia Museum of Art has been a wonderful experience. It has been an honor working with the museum’s exhibition designer, Elizabeth Marable. Her instruction and guidance have not only helped me establish a strong vocation for exhibition design, but also a work ethic that always strives for innovation. Unlike other internships, the Georgia Museum of Art offers engaging experiences to students that enhance their skills, plus the opportunity to learn something new. Additionally, it was a great feeling walking in the museum knowing I would do something different each day. I highly recommend students to learn about and utilize the internship opportunities at the Georgia Museum of Art.
Caroline Moore (preparation)
This past year, I have been interning in the preparation department at the Georgia Museum of Art, working on the installation of the museum’s temporary exhibitions and the rotation and upkeep of the permanent collection. Through this experience, I have been able to learn about the careful attention to detail that goes into all aspects of creating an exhibition and have greatly enjoyed practicing the varied processes of art handling, packing, installation, lighting, painting, matting and framing. This internship has certainly expanded my knowledge of what I can do with my degree and has undoubtedly been one of the most formative experiences of my college experience thus far. I sincerely appreciate the Georgia Museum of Art’s prep team and other staff members for all of the time and effort that they have put into teaching me their expertise and for making this internship so memorable.
Nishat Nayla (public relations)
One of the most valuable lessons I learned as a PR intern at the museum was how to write for its website in a way that made exhibitions and events feel accessible to the broader art or non-art community — the latter being a group I proudly belong to as an economics major who had no prior art or museum experience. Throughout my time there, I worked on a range of projects, each offering a unique lesson. Interviewing one of the museum’s first docents taught me how to connect historical context with personal storytelling, deepening my understanding of the museum’s mission. Writing about the 9th annual Spring Pop-Up Market gave me the opportunity to showcase how students could step into the roles of artists and entrepreneurs, capturing the energy of a space where creativity, community and commerce came together. My favorite experience, though, was writing about “Mind the Gap” and discovering how art collections aren’t static — they continually evolve, reflecting shifting narratives over time.
Rachel Palmer (public relations)
Through my work as a communications intern at the museum, I gained confidence in my ability to craft compelling written pieces. The internship helped me refine my writing style and adapt content for different audiences. My experience at the museum also taught me the importance of storytelling in effective communication. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to intern at the museum. It was a stepping stone in my career for sure!
Kristina Washington (business office)
During my time here, I’ve learned how to balance responsibility with adaptability, and I’ve built connections that made this job feel more like a community. With the help of Kathy Hufford and Paula Arscott, I’ve taken on several projects here, such as an inventory project cataloging nearly 2,000 books in the library and digitizing many archival museum files. Being part of this team helped me sharpen my communication skills and taught me a lot about how much goes on behind the scenes to maintain this museum’s status as a beacon of community, education and art.
Authored by:
Museum Staff
