Students at the Davis
The Davis creates an array of opportunities for student involvement and engagement, including the Summer Internship Program, the Davis Museum Student Advisory Committee (DMSAC), Student Guides, Student Visitor Assistants (SVAs), and student employees who work in every area of museum operations.
Summer Internship Program
Now in its seventeenth year, the Davis Museum Summer Internship Program provides invaluable hands-on experience, perspective, and knowledge to Wellesley students who are passionate about art and museum culture. Davis Interns see the inner workings of museums near and far, and make lasting contributions to exhibitions, programs, collections, and communications. The Davis Summer Internship Program is generously sponsored by Cecily Horton '80 and Betty Rauch '65, and by Friends of Art at the Davis.
Digital Marketing and Administration Interns Aviv Shimoni ‘21 and Karina Alvarado ‘20 work together to inventory the Davis’ extensive works on paper collection.
“I chose the Davis Summer Internship Program because I appreciate the work ethic and environment of small institutions, but also because I knew that my work would be appreciated and my voice would be heard here. I am extremely happy to report that my instinct was correct: this internship gave me everything I was hoping for, and more.”
Juna Lee, ‘21, Collections Management Intern, enjoying the New York City skyline from the rooftop of the Metropolitan Museum as part of the 3-day summer intern New York trip.
“Despite not being an art history major, through our meetings with people working in museum positions and weekly lunches with Davis staff, I learned a lot about different areas of museum work, about how to achieve career goals, and how to apply skills I’ve learned towards other careers and academic pursuits.”
Sarah Kain ‘20, Curatorial Intern, participating in a paper making workshop hosted by Wellesley’s 2-D Design class.
“Through my main project of digitizing photos from the Peter J. Cohen Collection gift, I was given the opportunity to handle art and use my photography skills. As a Media Arts and Sciences major, I was especially excited to apply my background in photography in a setting outside of my own school work.”
Every cohort of the Davis Museum Summer Internship Program produces a newsletter. Please find 2019’s through this link: Intern Newsletter
Letters to Prospective Students
The Davis Museum Summer Interns wrote letters welcoming the Class of 2023 to Wellesley, which were distributed at the Davis’s annual August New Student Orientation treasure hunt. Education intern Nancy Chu '21 designed the letterhead and recruited her colleagues to write letters offering words of wisdom to the incoming class.
Kate Davies
Eleanor P. DeLorme Museum Intern
The Eleanor P. DeLorme Museum Internship is awarded to advanced students with museum experience and provides an opportunity to engage in object-based research at the Davis. The 2019 DeLorme Intern was Katherine Davies ‘19. While at Wellesley, Kate worked at the Davis Museum in almost every possible student capacity. A student guide for all four years, she was also a member of the Davis Student Advisory Committee, serving as co-coordinator during her senior year. Kate also worked as a student assistant in the curatorial department, and interned in the curatorial department during summer 2017. As the DeLorme Intern, she co-curated the exhibition Hidden Histories: Revealing the Life of a Painting. This opportunity is generously sponsored by the Rebecca L. Tilles '03 Davis Museum Endowed Internship Fund, in honor of Eleanor P. DeLorme.
Liliane Pingoud Soriano '49 Curatorial Fellowship
The Soriano Curatorial Fellowship is an exchange program between the Davis and the Ecole du Louvre that allows a recent Wellesley graduate to work for four months as a Research Fellow at the Musée du Louvre in Paris. During the fall semester, Alexa Kasner ‘19 worked in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese Paintings (16th-19th centuries), explaining that she was “able to not only build upon the research skills I gained from my time at Wellesley, but to also use my language skills in new ways, as I am often translating documents and articles from Spanish to French.” The Liliane Pingoud Soriano '49 Curatorial Fellowship is supported by Jose Soriano, in memory of his late wife.
DMSAC members pose for a photo at the Davis.
“DMSAC has made me appreciate Wellesley, our community, and our facilities as places to relax and to learn. We have so many opportunities available to us, and the Davis has been an amazing tool for me as a student interested in the arts. Being in DMSAC has made me more aware of this resource, and I am excited to continue organizing more programming that helps other students become more aware of the Davis Museum and what it has to offer!”
“This semester’s Davis After Dark (Dawn of the Davis) was amazing! We were able to collaborate with campus organizations like El Table and the Film Society as well as feature performances from the Shakespeare Society, AscenDANCE, Dead Serious, and WZLY. My favorite part was seeing the community explore the galleries and exhibits that they may have missed while balancing their busy lives; at that moment I realized how impactful it is to hold this event every semester.”
DMSAC
The Davis Museum Student Advisory Committee (DMSAC) is a volunteer organization of students who serve as enthusiastic liaisons between the student body and the Davis, acting as ambassadors for and raising awareness of the Davis and visual art across the Wellesley College campus. By encouraging the Museum’s interdisciplinary function, DMSAC engages the diverse and multicultural student body, promotes the Davis as an educational resource, and increases student participation, museum visitation, and inclusivity. DMSAC programs are generously sponsored by Friends of Art.
Abby Lindsay, ‘20, DMSAC Co-Coordinator giving a tour of Fatimah Tuggar’s Home’s Horizons to members of the campus community.
“I am always excited to plan DMSAC’s Davis After Dark because I love how we can truly be creative in planning student engagement with the collections. Especially with this event, we have the opportunity to open up the Davis as a warm and welcoming home for student performances and other activities.”
Student Guides
Student Guides are committed to sharing the Davis’s rich permanent collections and special exhibitions through specially-designed tours with local K-12 students, adults, and the general public. The Davis Student Guide program is generously supported by the Elizabeth Bein Keto '48 Endowed Memorial Art Fund, and Friends of Art at the Davis.
Student Guides Mable Peach ‘23, Sarah Stover ‘20, Rita Lyu ‘23, Chloe Ratte ‘23, and Lance Silberstein ‘21. Photo credit: Artemisia Luk
“Being a Student Guide has given me an appreciation for the diverse art that is housed at the Davis. I especially love learning about our temporary exhibitions and sharing this knowledge with the public as well as seeing them get excited about the art.”
Photo of Asley Bisram speaking with visitors.
“During my first semester at Wellesley, I was incredibly homesick, lonely, and didn’t join any campus organizations. Working as an SVA at the Davis Museum gave me a space to meet other students and an outlet to eventually become more confident. Working at the Davis helped me realize that Wellesley was truly the right place for me.”
“The Davis provides me with a truly unique experience because it enables me to interact with community members—both from on campus and from the town of Wellesley—on a level that I wouldn’t normally if I worked anywhere else on campus.”
Student Visitor Assistants
Student Visitor Assistants (SVAs) are a vital, active, and visible presence in the Davis galleries. The SVAs strengthen the Museum by ensuring that visitors feel welcome; they provide audience engagement by greeting and assisting visitors, and promoting Davis exhibitions, programs, and facilities. SVAs are educated in the Davis collections, and trained in visitor services, life safety, and security. The SVA program is sponsored by Carol Grossman '66 and Friends of Art at the Davis.
“One of the most rewarding parts of my experience at the Davis has been the connections that I have made. Working at the Davis, there are always opportunities to connect with people that you wouldn't normally meet as a Wellesley student. From off-campus visitors to Wellesley Alumnae who are invested in cultivating art at the College, I have been able to build my network and apply it to other aspects of my life—such as finding full-time employment after graduation! Through an alumnae connection I made through Friends of Art, I received support and guidance for my career and ultimately landed an opportunity. A BIG thank you to the Davis and Friends of Art!”
- Eunbie Coe, ‘20, Registration Assistant and Student Guide
