For 12 weeks over the fall, one of San Diego Mesa College’s graduating Museum Studies
students will embark on a new adventure as a Latino Museum Studies Intern at the Smithsonian.
Jake Selters will work from Aug. 26 to Nov. 15, 2024, at the National Museum of the
American Indian (NMAI) in Washington D.C. and study Collections Management with some
of the world’s preeminent experts.
“My interest in museums started as a little kid when my parents used to take my sister
and I down to Balboa Park in San Diego, Calif.,” Jake said. “I always marveled at
the vast size and variations of the museums we went to. I was very grateful for my
parents introducing me to the art and museum world because it always stuck with me.”
While at the NMAI, Jake will learn about museum and cultural standards of preservation,
collection storage techniques, and facilitating community engagement. He also will
have the opportunity to participate in an annual inventory of NMAI’s 266,000 objects,
including items from archeology, ethnography, and contemporary native art. This process
requires incredible expertise and talent, as it involves checking the condition of
valuable, sensitive, and historically significant items. Jake also will collaborate
on the installation the museum’s upcoming exhibit Sublime Light: Tapestry Art of DY Begay.
Jake entered Mesa College to pursue a career as a physical therapist. After two years,
he decided to switch his path to Museum Studies in order to follow his true passions.
He graduated in May with a Certificate of Performance in Museum Studies.
“The thing I love most about Mesa is the people that I’ve met, both classmates and
staff,” Jake said about his Mesa College experience. “The art classes and Museum
Studies Program at Mesa have been some of the best experiences I’ve had in my life
and they’ve opened doors to opportunities that I never thought were possible. One
of those opportunities is my current internship with the Collections Department at
the Mingei International Museum (at Balboa Park).”
Jake found his internship at the Mingei with help from the Mesa Impactship Program
(MIP), which partners with more than 100 local employers who provide space for the
career preparation of students. As a part of the MIP, Jake received support with exploring
career options, developing professional skills, and gaining hands-on experience.
“I’m so proud that Jake has been accepted for this internship which is open to students
from all over the United States and is extremely competitive,” said Mesa College Professor
Alessandra Moctezuma, who encouraged him to apply. “The Smithsonian internship will
open up so many opportunities for him.”
The Smithsonian Institution is a federally funded organization that sprawls across
19 museums, 21 libraries, nine research centers, and a zoo. The Smithsonian Latino
Museum Studies Undergraduate Internship Program includes accommodations in Washington,
D.C. for the duration of the program, round-trip travel to Washington, D.C., and a
total stipend of $6,396.
“I’m excited to go outside of my community and gain more skills to bring back to San
Diego to further enrich the community,” Jake said. “I was the first person in my family
born in San Diego, and I love this city. It would mean the world to me to be able
to come back after the program and add more to our art and museum culture.”
About the Mesa Impactship Program
The Mesa Impactship Program (MIP) supports students with exploring careers, developing
professional skills, and compensating hands-on industry experiences through internships,
volunteering, or Directed Clinical Practice (DCP). MIP is designed to promote workforce
training & employment opportunities with focus on underserved student populations.
Mesa Impactship Program
About the Museum Studies Program
This three-course program provides theory, instruction, and practical experience in
all aspects of design and installation of art exhibitions. Students receive an overview
of the history, functions and operations of art galleries and Museums. Museum Studies Program and Courses | San Diego Mesa College (sdmesa.edu)
About San Diego Mesa College
San Diego Mesa College is a fully accredited, comprehensive community college committed
to access, success, and equity. We honor those commitments as a diverse community
of students, faculty, professional staff, and administrators who collaborate to foster
scholarship, leadership, innovation, and excellence in an inclusive learning environment.
By promoting student learning and achievement that leads to degrees and certificates,
transfer, workforce training, and lifelong learning, we empower our students to reach
their educational goals and shape their future. Among the largest community colleges
in California, Mesa College serves 30,000 students per year, 25% of whom are full-time.
Mesa offers nearly 200 associate degree and certificate programs and is one of 15
California community colleges offering a four-year baccalaureate degree. Mesa ranks
as San Diego’s top transfer institution, is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution and
a Military Friendly School, serving more than 3,500 veterans and their families. www.sdmesa.edu.
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Tags: Internships, San Diego Mesa College Museum Studies, Mesa Students