ACC was pleased to host four interns this summer with funding from the Windgate Charitable Foundation. We wanted to share more about the ladies we were fortunate to have working with us and find out what they learned during their time at ACC.

 

Destanie Martin-Johnson, Editorial Intern

What's your background?
I was born and raised here in Minnesota. I recently received a BA in professional journalism from the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities and plan on working as a writer locally, but eventually hope to venture out and explore other cities across the world.

What made you want to intern with ACC?
I wanted to intern with ACC because I love arts journalism and was hoping for an opportunity to work in magazine writing. So when I came across the internship, I felt that it was a great combination of something I wanted to learn and something I already enjoyed.

What were the most valuable things you learned during your internship?
Use your resources: What you are looking for might be right under your nose – or a co-worker's – and you'd never know unless you ask. It's all in the details: Even if it seems tedious or arbitrary, it counts. People will notice true accuracy, continuity, and the carefulness you put into your work. And finally, connections count: Face-to-face interaction is so valuable in building meaningful relationships with your desk-mates and supervisors. The more they know you, the more likely they will be able to contest to others about your work and trustworthiness. The more you know them, the more you will learn about their job, the workplace, and any advice they have to offer, which is always helpful.
 

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Megan Nadeau, Development Intern

What's your background?
I grew up in St. Paul, but currently live in Minneapolis. I am starting my senior year this fall at the University of Minnesota. I am working towards a BA in journalism, with a focus on strategic communications and a minor in management from Carlson. I have interned for print and broadcast journalism organizations, as well as a PR firm, but through my experiences I decided I really wanted to work for a nonprofit. This was one of the first reasons I was initially drawn to the American Craft Council.

What made you want to intern with ACC?
I stumbled upon the development internship posting on the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits' job board, and instantly new I wanted to work for the ACC this summer. I have always had a passion for the arts, and working for a nonprofit that supports artists and fosters a community of craft sounded like the perfect fit.

What were the most valuable things you learned during your internship?
This summer has been extremely beneficial for my education and future career planning. I have learned so much about the nonprofit world and how essential development is to the success of an organization. I now have a better understanding of the job possibilities my degree can be used for and what kind of job I would like to have once I graduate. I have been so fortunate to have advisors who take the time to teach me fundamental development skills, like how to use Raiser’s Edge and the importance of donor communication. They gave me opportunities to help with major solicitations and projects and spent hours educating me on the inner workings of the stages of an organization’s development. Since the beginning of summer, I have always been included in the conversation and feel that my professional abilities have been greatly enhanced as well. I truly feel that I became a part of the development team this summer and couldn’t have asked for a better internship experience.
 

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Colleen Stockmann, Library & Archives Intern

What's your background?
Colleen Stockmann has a studio practice in textiles, ceramics, and drawing while pursuing her doctorate in the history of art and craft at the University of Minnesota. Prior to graduate school she was a museum curator for 10 years in the Bay Area.

What made you want to intern with ACC?
As a curator, scholar, and educator, the accessibility of information and ease of research is incredibly important. ACC has an impressive archive and library – much of which has been digitized and made available to the public through the physical space of the library and the dynamic digital collections. I was eager to intern here in order to learn more about best practices in making archives public, inviting, and exciting.

What were the most valuable things you learned during your internship?
I have gained valuable insight into contemporary craft community in the US and its history. The people involved with ACC and related communities of makers are working together to pool resources, push their craft practices, and preserve their methods and histories. More concretely, I have learned a few important tools and technical languages that are the infrastructure for making information available to diverse audiences.
 

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Leia Wambach, Education Intern

What's your background?
I completed my BA in art history and French language and literature from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, in 2011. My focus since graduating has been museum education, though I have also worked a variety of front-line positions at both the American Swedish Institute and the Walker Art Center. In addition to my internship at ACC, I currently work as a museum educator at the Walker Art Center, where I lead K-12 school tours and facilitate family programming.  

What made you want to intern with ACC?
I became interested in craft scholarship while writing my senior thesis and relied heavily on issues of Craft Horizons from the 1960s while researching. I've kept my eye on the organization since moving back to the Midwest and have always hoped for a chance to get involved. It has been a pleasure to rekindle my interest in the field. Additionally, since most of my post-college work has entailed direct interaction with public audiences, I was eager to try out a position more focused on research and writing.

What were the most valuable things you learned during your internship?
I am particularly grateful to have been introduced to the publication process through this internship. I have specifically been assisting with photo permissions, image captions, and proofing two publications put out by ACC's education department: the new scholarly journal, American Craft Inquiry, and a catalogue for the Emerging Voices Awards program. It has been eye-opening to see all the detailed work that goes in to making a complete publication. I have also been writing biographies for ACC's College of Fellows. The best part of this job is digging through the organization's extensive artist files. I find myself adding new artists to a constantly growing list of personal favorites every day. Exposure to so many fascinating bodies of work has been an enormous inspiration and an incentive to refocus my personal artistic practice.