Jack Lamey (‘27), a Philosophy, Politics and Economics major, was an intern for the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History. This internship was supported by the Summer Humanities Internship Program.
My desire to intern at the Weitzman began last fall, when I first visited the museum. The Weitzman presents Jewish American history comprehensively—from 1654’s initial settlers through the present. This internship enhanced my understanding of Weitzman’s missions, extending beyond attracting tourists. While co-coordinating projects, I learned how Weitzman amplifies the voices of academics, musical performers, and other influencers—both within Philadelphia and nationally. I learned about the museum’s celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month each May. Additionally, I witnessed its organization of narrower, yet equally important public programming—such as “From Captivity to Freedom: Survivor Testimonies from Eliya Cohen and Ziv Abud.”
I developed several meaningful relationships at Weitzman, primarily with my supervisors. My connections with Tara Davis (Director of Marketing) and Emily August (Chief Public Engagement Officer) were based on mutual trust: we shared a similar work ethic and were accepting of each other’s ideas. They granted me several opportunities to conduct independent research and arrange presentations for interdepartmental staff members. I drafted Instagram reels, op-eds, and other promotional materials. I really appreciated their commitment to my professional growth and the open, productive communication between us.
I also connected with the Weitzman Museum’s business partners. For instance, my internship entailed virtual collaboration with Brand Knew—a digital media creative collective. I helped three BK marketing strategists execute Weitzman’s social content calendar, and our weekly calls included discussions of advertising costs and online engagement analytics. Additionally, I met Sarah Maiellano, the museum’s PR consultant. Ms. Maiellano introduced me to her process for crafting Weitzman’s press releases and the challenges surrounding management of the museum’s news coverage. These networking opportunities expanded my understanding of the people and projects that contribute to non-profit publicity, making me interested in a future internship with such companies.
This experience expanded my technological savviness. I learned to navigate webpage design within WordPress, using this application to recreate online a former exhibition called Chasing Dreams: Baseball and Becoming American. Furthermore, my proficiency in Microsoft Suite increased. I conducted multivariable analysis in Excel, to analyze data from Weitzman’s surveys for public school educators. Pivot tables captured feedback towards initiatives heightening Jewish-American inclusion in history curriculums. Moving forward, these skills will help me both academically and professionally.
Interested in reading more first-hand accounts about undergraduate research? Check out the other experiences featured on our Student News Page and Social Media!
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