Just the (Arti)facts

Ethan Nemeth, C’26, wasn’t sure which academic path he wanted to pursue when he came to Penn, but he soon discovered that he loved classical studies, which led him to an ancient history major. This summer he had the chance to see what a career in this field might look like as an intern with the Penn Museum’s public engagement team. One of 17 paid interns from colleges across the country, Nemeth was brought on through the Summer Humanities Internship Program, which is supported by the College of Arts & Sciences and administered through Penn’s Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.

“The students get a very rigorous experience of working in a museum, like an Introduction to Museum Studies program. And they get hands-on experience working in a museum, not easy grunt work, but work that people in departments would be doing,” says Jessica Lubniewski, who manages the program. “They get this discrete experience that is transferable to any museum they may want to work at in the future.”

That played out during Nemeth’s time there. For the inaugural Juneteenth Festival and the Wawa Welcome America Day, for instance, he managed presenters’ technology needs and spearheaded some children’s activities. He also helped set up and worked at Garden Jams, the Museum’s free summer concert series, coordinating reserved tables, ushering bands through, and checking in people at the door. 

As part of marketing a series called “Archaeology in Action,” which features virtual lectures by experts in the field, he compiled lists of potential interest groups and emailed them with information. And he did a “Daily Dig” pop-up talk—15 minutes on one object. But Nemeth says he most enjoyed working on projects involving the education team, especially a trivia night for middle schoolers. “They were very excited to be there and engaged in the lesson,” he says. “That made me feel really good about the work I was doing.” 

Overall, Nemeth says, the experience offered him more direction in a career path. “Going into the summer, I liked what I studied, but I didn’t know what it could lead to down the road. At the Museum I’ve learned all these different jobs that I can do,” he says. “I’ve also learned what academic degrees are required for the different roles in a museum, and so it’s definitely given me a better understanding of the career landscape.”