As part of their graduation requirements, Master’s students must undertake an internship with a preservation organization. Most do their work in the summer between their last semesters of class work. Click here and find below some of the organizations where previous students have interned and the positions they’ve held:
Yunyang Feng completed a remote internship with the Education Department of the Shanghai Museum East, gaining experience in museum education, interpretation, and public-facing content development. Yunyang Feng wrote an online exhibition guide text for the museum’s WeChat platform by contributing to the design of promotional posters of lectures, assisting with English translation needs, and organizing archival materials to support departmental programming.
Victoria Hagen interned with the Lynn Museum and Arts Centre, where she supported collections staff in reorganizing historic maps, prints, photographs, and related materials. During her internship, Victoria helped to sort, document, and record more than 450 items from previously undocumented collections, contributing to improved organization and long-term collections care.
Siena Idoine interned with Museum Textile Services, where she assisted with object documentation and textile conservation. She photographed newly received items and assessed their condition, gaining experience in evaluating damage and preservation needs. Siena also received training in textile cleaning techniques, including dirt removal and stain treatment tailored to different fabrics. During her internship, Siena supported an exhibition project assigned to MTS by cataloging, cleaning, steaming, and mending Áo Dài garments so they could be properly mounted on mannequins. This work strengthened her skills in both conservation practice and exhibition preparation.
Lea Kolesky completed her internship with the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) in the Technical Services Division, where she contributed to the review and processing of Federal and State Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit projects. Her work supported evaluations for alignments with the Secretary of Interior’s Standards, and involved conducting virtual and archival research, preparing and delivering presentations, and building professional connections in the preservation world.
In July 2025, Zoey Liu interned with the Jiangxi Provincial Museum in the Exhibition Planning & Exchange Department. Her responsibilities spanned research, proofreading, and collaborating with departmental staff to shape exhibition concepts and outlines. Zoey contributed to the development of the Women’s Day exhibition that highlighted women’s stories through artifacts from the Song Dynasty. Her work involved studying objects related to women’s lives, helping to conceptualize interpretive narratives, and supporting the creation of exhibition outlines designed to guide visitor experience and engagement.
Hailey Manlowe received the James Igoe Historic Preservation Fellowship with Preservation Massachusetts, where she contributed to several major initiatives and statewide preservation efforts. Her work supported the planning and execution of the Annual Awards Ceremony held at Fenway Park, the Most Endangered Historic Resources Program, including revising the program report and assisting with the 2025 nominations, and the development of the 2025 Maritime Preservation Program Series.
Gianna Ortiz interned with both the Boston Landmarks Commission (BLC) and the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC), gaining hands-on experience in preservation practice at both the city and state levels. These complementary roles deepened her understanding of how government agencies safeguard historic resources and strengthened her commitment to preservation research and policy. At the BLC, Gianna contributed to several key initiatives: researching all unsuccessful Architectural Conservation District designations, documenting properties within Cambridge’s Neighborhood Design Overlay Districts (NDODs), and digitizing historic designation research files to support long-term accessibility. During her time with the MHC, Gianna surveyed properties within the Cambridge Multiple Resource Area (MRA), developed updated research guides to support National Register eligibility evaluations, and refined her skills in identifying architectural details and changes over time.
Estelle Rampelt interned with the Carpenter Museum in Summer 2025, as a Collections Intern, where she learned foundational object care practices and gained hands-on experience in cataloging, photography, and accessioning. In Fall 2025, Estelle joined the Providence Preservation Society as a Research and Photography Intern. This role provided direct engagement with a preservation nonprofit, allowing her to contribute to projects that make New England’s historic resources more accessible through research, documentation, and visual interpretation.
Yin Ruzihe worked alongside the Jinzhong City Museum in site investigations and supported geological and archaeological surveying, including the documentation, mapping, and analysis of field data that informed exhibition research and design. She also assisted in developing concepts for cultural product design, culminating in a collaborative research and writing project focused on the “Flourishing – Splendid China on Matchbox Stickers” exhibition at the Jinzhong City Museum.
Kayton Stewart interned with Ryan, a historic tax credit consulting firm, where she supported several preservation projects involving National Register nominations, architectural and historical research, layout preparation, and State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) research. Through this work, Kayton gained experience communicating across public, private, and federal stakeholders, deepened her knowledge of architectural history, and developed proficiency with key research tools used in preservation practice. Kayton continues to work with Ryan as of 2026.
