Education, Museums, Arts & Recreation Internship Spotlights
Abigail Miller '27 at Penn Museum.
Dickinson students are turning classroom learning into real-world experience through internships at organizations ranging from Hershey Entertainment & Resorts and the Penn Museum to the Smithsonian and international nonprofits. Their stories highlight the value of hands-on learning, professional networking and stepping outside their comfort zones while developing skills that will shape their future careers.
Mandy Grawl '28
How did you obtain this internship?
I actually got this internship because of the boutique job fair hosted by the career center in September (I was featured in the article about that job fair!).
Briefly describe what you do for the internship on a day-to-day basis.
I do tech support for all of the Hershey entertainment and resorts properties: Hersheypark, The Hotel Hershey, The Hershey Lodge, The Giant Center, Hersheypark Stadium, the Hershey Theater, and the Hershey Country Club. If anything in the realm of a computer, printer, TV, display, iPad, etc stops working properly, I’m the person they call to take a look. Every day is different based on the properties’s needs
How has this internship better prepared you to excel at Dickinson and beyond?
Dickinson mostly teaches software/coding in its computer science program, so this exposed me to the other side of computer science: all the cords and wires and physical components.
Have you had other internship experiences previously, and do you plan/hope to intern again in the future?
I taught a coding summer camp for iDTech (Princeton, NJ) last summer, which was an awesome start to the world of explaining computers by needing to find words the kids could understand. I do plan to come back to Hershey next summer as I have loved every second of being here, running events like concerts and having a theme park right outside my office window. Hershey has over 100 interns across departments like tech, marketing, finance, law, and human resources, and I would genuinely recommend this company to anyone looking for an internship.
What advice would you offer to peers considering an internship?
Connections are everything in today’s job market. I was first introduced to this job at Dickinson’s career fair (face to face conversation makes you easier to remember, if possible), and I got the recruiter’s business card. I didn’t stop there, though; I sent a followup email saying thank you for talking to me, and then another saying I applied to the position and was super excited to work there, so I would stay on their radar. Followup emails, even if you don’t have much to say and it’s just “thank you for talking to me today” or “I applied for the job you told me about” went a very long way for me. When I finally got the job and came in on one of my first days, I ran into the woman I had talked to at the recruiting event, and she still remembered me and told me how happy she was that I was here! Big companies get thousands of applicants for each job position, so the best way to make sure you aren’t filtered out is to make sure someone recognizes your name and associates it positively.
Beyond your internship, what is one aspect of your Dickinson experience that has made the biggest impact on your personal, academic or professional growth?
I have always been a relatively introverted person, but since coming to Dickinson I have become much better at talking to people and especially engaging with authority figures. The professors being so easy to talk to while also maintaining professionalism transferred to it being easy to talk to my bosses here or even engage with people I had never met in other departments, which really helped me to get to know people throughout the company.
Abigail Miller '27
How did you obtain this internship?
I searched for internships on the museum's website and applied online.
Briefly describe what you do for the internship on a day-to-day basis.
Working in collections, my role was to care for the objects in storage. For my day-to-day tasks, I would spend an hour in the morning and evening working on projects using EMu, which is a collections management software. Most of this work was uploading photos and information updates, for the museum's online collection. In between this time, I would work with the Keepers. This is what other museums might call collections managers. Each week, I worked with a new Keeper and curatorial section, on a new project. My tasks changed with each project, and consisted of some of the following things: inventory, photography, rehousing, mount or box making, transcriptions, display mount painting, and object numbering. When I was not working in collections, I also spent time volunteering in the zooarchaeology lab and attending various meetings and field trips as part of the internship program.
How has this internship better prepared you to excel at Dickinson and beyond?
During this internship, I worked with many other amazing students from different universities and colleges. Talking with them about their own education and research, has inspired me with new ideas that I can hopefully apply to my upcoming thesis. I also tried to meet with as many professionals as I could to explore different careers and pathways. Beyond Dickinson, I plan to use the advice that was given to me and the skills I learned, in a career in the cultural sector.
Have you had other internship experiences previously, and do you plan/hope to intern again in the future?
Last summer, I did fieldwork at an archaeological project in Sozopol, Bulgaria. I am open to interning again next summer, though I might just enter the workplace right away. If I intern again, I hope to intern at a natural science museum.
What advice would you offer to peers considering an internship?
I was extremely fortunate to get this position. When I originally started searching and applying for internships, I stayed local and small, thinking that those were the only places that would accept me. I had known in the past that students in my department have applied for this internship but none were accepted, so I did not think I would either, or that I should even apply. I took the risk though and got in. My advice for others considering internships, is to apply to the big companies anyways and do not sell yourself short. Even if you think you might not get in at all, the worst they can say is no. You can always prepare a backup plan. When applying, make sure to use all your resources, too.
Your professors, the career center, and alumni, are all here to help you. I used all these resources to review my application materials and each was able to offer their own unique insight. It was through my conversations with all three of these resources that I realized I had more transferable skills and relative experiences than I originally thought.
Beyond your internship, what is one aspect of your Dickinson experience that has made the biggest impact on your personal, academic or professional growth?
I truly believe that my participation within my academic departments, clubs, and the library has allowed for personal and professional growth. I have been able to be a TA, a pre-orientation leader, a student supervisor, and an exec member of multiple clubs, all while staying focused on my academics. Through these activities, I have developed leadership, time management, and team work skills, and I was able to meet many of my friends that have supported me at Dickinson.
Fiona Orrok '27
Saira Lemus '28
I obtained this internship through the Guatemala service trip in January 2026 with Dickinson. I was able to connect with the founders and recieved an internship offer soon after the trip.
Briefly describe what you do for the internship on a day-to-day basis.
On a day-to-day basis, my work consisted of checking and responding to emails, conducting background research on obstetric violence, and spending time in local communities conducting interviews or participating in empowerment workshops. Depending on the day, I also engaged in more creative projects, such as clothing design, visual materials, and mural work. Because the organization was involved in several projects at once, my daily responsibilities often varied and required me to be flexible.
How has this internship better prepared you to excel at Dickinson and beyond?
This internship has better prepared me to excel at Dickinson and beyond by exposing me to different types of work, professional environments, and populations of people. Working outside of the United States was a very different experience, particularly in terms of workplace structure, expectations, and communication. I experienced these differences on multiple levels, whether I was working directly with local communities or in the office alongside professionals from different fields and backgrounds. These experiences challenged me to expand my thinking, meet people where they are, and understand their perspectives before deciding how to approach a situation. Working within a nonprofit where funding was limited and plans could change quickly also strengthened my adaptability and taught me how to use several of my skills at once. Most importantly, I developed a more holistic and intersectional approach to my work. I learned to consider the cultural, social, political, and individual context of a situation before acting or speaking which is something I hope to carry into my academic, professional, and personal life.
Have you had other internship experiences previously, and do you plan/hope to intern again in the future?
Yes, I have completed two internships previously. In high school, I interned with the New York City Department of Education, where I assisted with translation and event planning for families with refugee status in the city. During the spring of 2026 at Dickinson, I also completed an internship with the BLESS Co/Lab (Black Liberation in Education, Schools, and Society). I definitely hope to complete additional internships in the future. I plan to intern with BLESS again at some point, and after my experience this summer, I would also love to pursue another international internship, potentially in another part of Latin America. My experience in Guatemala showed me how much I value learning and working in an international and community centered environment.
What advice would you offer to peers considering an internship?
I would say go for it. Do not be afraid to ask questions or make your expectations and goals clear, but also be prepared for those expectations to change as you learn more about the organization and yourself. Enter the experience with an open mind, curiosity, and a willingness to adapt. Some of the most valuable experiences may be the ones you did not expect or plan for.
Beyond your internship, what is one aspect of your Dickinson experience that has made the biggest impact on your personal, academic or professional growth?
One of the most impactful aspects of my Dickinson experience has been the opportunity to enter spaces, communities, and conversations that I may not have otherwise had access to. Through specialized courses, service trips, internships, and experiences abroad, Dickinson has allowed me to connect what I study academically with the things that matter to me personally, including my heritage, community, education, and service.
These opportunities have introduced me to people with very different backgrounds, experiences, and ways of thinking. They have taught me that growth does not only happen in the classroom; it can happen through a conversation, a relationship, a disagreement, or simply entering a space with the willingness to listen and learn. My experiences at Dickinson have also allowed me to reconnect with my heritage in ways that feel personally meaningful while considering how my academic interests can contribute to the communities I care about.
Overall, Dickinson has helped me develop a more open, empathetic, and holistic way of approaching people and experiences. Whether I am in a classroom, workplace, community, or unfamiliar environment, I have learned to enter with curiosity, listen before making assumptions, and consider the context and experiences of the people around me. That is a mindset I hope to carry with me long after I leave Dickinson.
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Published September 14, 2026