We are excited to welcome the participants for this year's Latino Museum Studies Program Undergraduate Internship. Learn more about them:

Natalia Alfonzo Mudoy
Industrial Design Major

Natalia (they/she) looks forward to dissecting what makes an exhibit enthralling and hopes to implement these findings into their exhibition project.

Natalia is placed at the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage participating in the practicum Folklife Fabrication and Design.
Isabella “Bella” Bañuelos Perez
History Major, Chicano/a/e/x Studies Minor

Isabella (she/her/Ella) hopes to learn how museums contribute to their communities and patrons through their work by learning with LMSP.

Isabella is placed at the National Gallery of Art participating in the practicum Processing the José Posada Archival Collection.
Carla Barefoot
Youth & Social Innovation Major, Global Studies in Education Minor

Carla (she/her) is most excited to bridge her passion for youth work and community spaces with her interest in increasing the accessibility of diverse representation in media.

Carla is placed at the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center participating in the practicum Early Childhood Library Evaluation & Museum Project with Latino Focus.
Arnie Campa
Art History & Inquiry and Research in the Humanities

Arnie (she/her) is excited to participate in LMSP and to be in community with other Latine interns and museum professionals. She hopes to learn how to be a good steward of art objects, especially when they come from marginalized communities.

Arnie is placed at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) participating in the practicum An Introduction to Collections Care at SAAM.
Melina Castro
Metals and Printmaking Major

Melina seeks to depict natural motifs, historical consciousness, and multi-facedness: as of now, her ulterior goal is to find a residency program that integrates sustainable agriculture with the arts.

Melina is placed at Smithsonian Gardens, participating in the practicum Cultivating Knowledge: Smithsonian Gardens Orchid Collection Management and Educational Outreach.
Madeline Cortes Reyes
B.A. in Studio Art, Publishing Certificate

Madeline (she/her) is excited to explore how the Smithsonian enhances cultural narratives and supports diasporic communities by integrating diverse perspectives.

Madeline is placed at the Museum Conservation Institute, participating in the practicum Imaging and Conservation.
Sofia “Nova” Gonzalez
Physics Major, Creative Writing Minor

Sofia is most excited about connecting with fellow interns who share her passion for uplifting communities. Sofia looks forward to expanding her knowledge on Latinos in space, gaining experience in best education practices, and inspiring others by sharing her knowledge.

Sofia is placed at the National Air and Space Museum and participates in the practicum Illuminating Latino Stories in Air and Space for Family Audiences.
Chris Hurtado
BFA in Fine Arts

Chris Hurtado would like to gain professional experience as an artist and improve my communication and social skills. Additionally, he hopes to meet other artists, learn from their success, and see how museum exhibits are curated and organized.

Chris is placed at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, participating in the practicum Video Resources for Os Gemeos: Endless Story for Teen Audiences.
Dalixa C. Llorens Boneta
BA of Arts and Science, emphasis in Archaeology

Dalixa (she/her/ella) is excited to learn more about the inner workings of collections management and the proper way to care for them.

Dalixa is placed at the National Museum of American Latino (NMAL), participating in the practicum Preparing Infrastructure for NMAL Collections.
Alondra Rodríguez Ruiz
Communications Major

Alondra is most excited and aspires to gain practices in conservation and cultural heritage while simultaneously looking to expand her knowledge in technology disciplines, such as digital experiences.

Alondra is placed at the Digitization Program Office, participating in the practicum Smithsonian 3D Viewer User Testing.
Victoria Rogers-Rivera
Political Science and International Affairs Double Major, concentration in Museum Studies and Art History

Victoria is excited to be a part of a cohort of individuals with shared experiences and interests and be able to discuss the future of museology.

Victoria is placed at the Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage, participating in the practicum American Latinx Storytelling for Folklife Magazine.
Jake Selters
Studio Arts and Museum Studies Major

Jake (he/him) is most excited about gaining more experience in the museum world and the opportunity to live in a new city. During this internship opportunity, he’s eager to gain as much experience and knowledge as possible to pursue his dreams of impacting the museum and art world.

Jake is placed at the National Museum of the American Indian and participates in the practicum Collections Care and Registration.
Mattea "Tea" Turenne
BFA in General Fine Arts, double minor in Illustration and Book Arts

Tea Turenne (they/she) is interested in drawing upon their experience with hand papermaking to explore paper conservation and its role in museum work.

Tea is placed at the National Gallery of Art, participating in the practicum Exploring Paper Conservation.
Juliana Vieira
Graphic Design Major

Juliana is excited to grow her knowledge of inclusive visual communications and technical design skills. She is placed at Smithsonian Institution Exhibits and participates in the practicum Capital Gallery 8th Floor Murals.
Melissa Charles-Galván
Museum Conservation Major, Chemistry and Anthropology Minor

Melissa Charles (she/they) is most excited about learning new ways of treating objects, working for the first time with materials such as paper and photographs, meeting new people, and learning about what they do.

Melissa is placed at the Museum Conservation Institute, participating in the practicum Imaging and Conservation.
Cyrillus Sidhe
Conservation Ecology Major

Cyrillus hopes to combine his love of science with his creative talents to create engaging educational content and deep dive into the world of museum collections management!

Cyrillus is placed at Smithsonian Gardens and will participate in the practicum Cultivating Knowledge: Smithsonian Gardens Orchid Collection Management and Educational Outreach.