June 23, 2014

Intern Profile: Lila Woloshin ’15

Meet Lila Woloshin ’15, a history major and intern at the Oregon Jewish Museum.

Lila Woloshin ’15

Major: History
Hometown: Portland, Oregon

Can you tell us what you’re doing this summer? What are your basic duties as an intern?

This summer I’m working at the Oregon Jewish Museum. My primary job is to take transcripts of oral history interviews and review them for errors. After I’m done editing, I look over an online list of important terms and mark off the ones that are relevant to the document so they can be indexed and uploaded to the museum’s website. When all of that is finished, I write an abstract for each interview and locate a photograph of the interviewee. I also help prepare exhibits, organize archival material, and pitch in with other projects as needed. 

How has Lewis & Clark supported you in the process of finding, securing, and funding your internship?

I met with Assistant Director Nina Olken in the Career Development Center. She helped me rewrite my resume to be more structured and professional, and also gave me tips on how to establish connections in my field of interest and prepare for interviews. Nina also suggested that I consider applying for an internship award, and I was fortunate enough to be granted the Fowler and Levin award, which has been instrumental in keeping my finances stable while allowing me to be productive at the museum.

How do you see this internship leading to a career in your chosen field and aiding in your overall career development?

I intend to pursue history in graduate school and professionally. Working at the museum has given me hands-on experience with archival material and allowed me insight into how databases are used to store, organize, and find important documents. I also have a better sense of how research is conducted with new technology, which will be integral in putting together major projects as I continue my studies. I’m not entirely sure where the study of history will lead me professionally—teaching? writing? library science? curation?—but if I choose to pursue a career at a museum, I now have an excellent understanding of how exhibits and galleries are constructed behind the scenes.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about your experience thus far?

We opened a brand new exhibit in mid-June and I helped a bit with setup, cleaning, and recruiting people to attend. It went spectacularly. It was a very exciting experience and I felt very proud to represent Lewis & Clark at the opening reception. 

The Stephanie Fowler and Irving Levin Summer Internship Award was established by Stephanie Fowler MA ’97 and Irving Levin, generous donors committed to ensuring that Lewis & Clark students are able to have meaningful and enriching summer internship experiences.  

Career Development History Department