Working as part of the information desks, I was able to gain a better sense of what working in a museum consists of. During training and the volunteering hours, I had to opportunity to talk with curators, custodial staff, teachers, and professors about their roles in the museum. It was both enjoyable and rewarding to be able to learn so much from the people I worked with every day.
What I wish was different
I would have liked to have had a more involved role in the museum. Being that it was a volunteer position, there was minimal access and work to do. While this did provide me the opportunity to be able to communicate with coworkers and learn a tremendous amount about the museum, I would have enjoyed the opportunity even more so had there been more involved work.
Advice
One piece of advice that I would share about this volunteer experience is to take every opportunity that you find. Between shifts, on break, whenever you have time, talk to and meet other people who work in the museum. They offer amazing amounts of knowledge and can share so much not just about the museum, but about history and the world at large. From their experience and knowledge, you can learn and grow so much. And who knows, you might even receive a fantastic referral from someone!
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Paleontological Illustration Intern
June - August 2019 • Pittsburgh, PA
What I liked
I got to do a job that I love, illustrating for scientific publications.
What I wish was different
Honestly nothing, I really enjoyed the position.
Advice
You should really know adobe suite well, photoshop is extremely important in this field.
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Educator
May - August 2019 • Pittsburgh, PA
What I liked
The mix of work and play and learning with kids, and seeing what they responded to
What I wish was different
There was little natural lighting. I worked in the basement and there were no windows
Advice
Its a nice time and a great way to pop the Carnegie Mellon bubble that we live in 9 months a year
