ALLEN WHITEHILL CLOWES CHARITABLE FOUNDATION INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Information Sheet

The Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation has funded the establishment of an internship program at the Mathers Museum of World Cultures, Indiana University Bloomington. This program is the MMWC’s first offering of competitive, paid internship experiences, building on decades of practicum student programming, and significantly increasing the MMWC’s ability to cultivate dedicated museum professionals at the undergraduate and master’s level.

With a long-term goal of improving Indiana’s professional museum workforce, this program’s primary objective is to increase the quantity, quality, and accessibility of real-world professional development experiences available to IUB upper-level undergraduate and master’s degree students seeking museum careers. In Summer 2017 an inaugural class of interns launched the program. Internship cohorts of three students per semester will participate in the program through Fall 2020.
On-campus internships undertaken during fall and spring semesters are enabling IUB students to gain valuable work experiences without interrupting their studies by relocating to distant locations or for unrelated part-time work. The program will also advance a public service mission through the option of funding summer session work in off-campus museums as well. This option expands the range of professional opportunities available to museum-focused IUB students, while strengthening the work of these peer institutions.

The Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation, Inc., a private foundation, was established by Allen W. Clowes, a leading philanthropist in Indianapolis, Indiana, who during his life made major contributions to various charitable organizations that promoted or preserved the fine arts, music, literature, education, science and history. Most of these organizations are located in Central Indiana. The primary mission of the foundation is to support charitable organizations that promote or preserve the Arts and Humanities and to support charitable organizations that were supported by Mr. Clowes during his life or are similar to those supported by Mr. Clowes.

Application Process Sheet

Eligibility
This internship program is available to IUB upper-level undergraduate (juniors and seniors) and masters students who are preparing for careers in museums.

Dates
The deadline for Fall 2020 internships is April 7, 2020. Complete application materials must be emailed to mathers@indiana,edu by midnight on that date.

Application materials must include
1. Completed Application Form (please submit only the form, do not include the Information Sheet or Application Process Sheet)
2. Cover Letter describing the internship you would like to apply for and why, including your preparation and qualification for the internship (please see below regarding Letter of Commitment from Internship Supervisor)
3. Resume
4. List of References (please include complete contact information, including email
addresses, for three references)
5. Letter of Commitment from Internship Supervisor. Internship opportunities and
supervisors at the Mathers Museum of World Cultures are listed on the next page, and you must speak with a Mathers Museum supervisor if you wish to apply for an internship at the MMWC.

Please submit the Completed Application Form, Cover Letter, Resume, List of References, and Letter of Commitment from Internship Supervisor together (in that order and in one PDF document) by email to mathers@indiana.edu.

Funding
The Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation Internship Program provides each recipient (three will be selected per semester) a total of $3,300 in funding to fund up to 20 hours of work per week at $11 per hour for 15 weeks. (Please note: A background check may be required before the funding can be awarded.) Students who have any additional paid positions at Indiana University may not be eligible for the Clowes award as the university restricts the number of hours worked per week as a university employee.

Internships at the Mathers Museum of World Cultures

The following is an overview of Mathers Museum departmental project areas and initiatives. Please review the information and contact the listed supervisor to discuss possible internships.

Cataloging Internships—Ellen Sieber/esieber@indiana.edu
Catalog or re-catalog collections according to museum procedures
Create paper records of work as instructed
Research collections as necessary for accurate cataloging/re-cataloging
Write up research notes and bibliographies, as collections are cataloged/re-cataloged

Collections Care Internships—Ellen Sieber/esieber@indiana.edu
Determine and implement proper storage for artifacts
Arrange collections within storage to ensure safety
Track current locations of artifacts within storage and updating records for each artifact with disposition codes
Construct archival boxes and other storage apparatus tailored to the needs of the artifacts
Helping to maintain a well-organized and tidy storage space and conservation laboratory

Inventory Support Internships—Theresa Harley-Wilson/tharleyw@indiana.edu
Inventory sections of the collection
Troubleshoot discrepancies found during inventory

Registration Assistant Internships—Theresa Harley-Wilson/tharleyw@indiana.edu
Generate receipts and legal documents for artifacts entering and exiting the museum
Troubleshoot discrepancies found in collections records
Record condition of artifacts on standard report form

Photography Internships—Matt Sieber/msieber@indiana.edu
Digitize the museum’s collections of historic photographs and/or negatives
Learn proper handling of artifacts, including historic negatives and prints
Photograph various artifacts as needed in digital format

Exhibitions Internships—Matt Sieber/msieber@indiana.edu
Research technological resources and equipment for use in exhibitions
Research mounting techniques for specific artifacts, create or find companies for mounts
Research artifacts going on display in upcoming exhibits

Public Relations Internships—Judy Kirk/jakirk@indiana.edu
Develop articles for a newsletter
Develop press releases
Contact press/media representatives
Assist in flyer/mailing distributions
Assist in social media

Education Projects Internships—Sarah Hatcher/sahatche@indiana.edu
Develop and implement programs and projects that further the mission of the museum
Curriculum packet development
Create family guides and other gallery materials
Give tours and develop tour materials as needed

Education Collection Internships—Sarah Hatcher/sahatche@indiana.edu
Photograph artifacts, editing photos, and updating the database
Catalog or re-catalog/research artifacts in the education collection
Inventory and complete condition reports
Update database

Facilities Internships—Kelly Wherley/kwherley@indiana,edu
Update emergency/security controls and procedures
Mathers Museum Store operation
Monitor and record environment