By Jennifer Benjamin, '01
As soon as I declared my major, my friends and family started asking "What will you do with an art history degree?" I didn't have an answer. I chose the major because I loved the subject, not because I knew where I wanted to be in five years.
As graduation drew near, the question loomed over my head and I knew I needed an answer. A classmate recommended I take advantage of the Wriston Art Center Galleries and talk to Frank Lewis about an internship. I had always been intrigued by the idea of behind-the-scenes work in a museum, and this sounded like a great idea.
Interning at Wriston turned out to be one of the most rewarding experiences I had at Lawrence. I was given the opportunity to work firsthand on a variety of projects that ranged from making gallery labels for exhibits to cataloging WW II posters.
One of my favorite projects took place in the spring, when we set out to locate all un-archived art on campus. One afternoon we were inventorying objects in the Teakwood Room and found an etching hidden in a windowsill.
The piece turned out to be a true discovery, an etching from the British artist Frank Brangwyn, who worked from the late 19th-century into the early 20th-century.
Although this certainly proved to be an exciting project, I can't say it was the only experience that made me decide to pursue a career in a museum. The projects I completed, the people I worked with, and the opportunities I was allowed all contributed to my desire to continue working in the museum industry.
After graduation, I began to apply for other museum internships and was fortunate enough to receive one in the education department of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. I am just completing my six-month rotation and am so thankful for the privilege of working and learning in this institution.
This internship has been a wonderful experience and has led me to a permanent staff position in the Museum Guide Program as the night and weekend tour scheduler.
I have also started looking at schools with graduate programs in art history and museum studies. As I think about graduate school, I am reminded of my education at Lawrence, a time that provided hands-on experience both in and out of the classroom. The projects, advice, and guidance that Frank and Ester Fajzi-DeGroot provided helped me realize how many opportunities there really are for someone with an art history degree.
Return to main article.
