2007 Class of US/ICOMOS International Interns

On May 29, the 2007 class of US/ICOMOS International Exchange interns arrived in Washington for orientation.  This year's program includes 18 preservation professionals and involves 15 countries. The interns spent the week visiting with representatives from preservation agencies and organizations.  The interns left the weekend of June 2-3 to travel to their internship locations and will return to Washington in late August for a final program and reception.

< 2007 US/ICOMOS International Interns in Dupont Circle in Washington, DC
[scroll down for more photos or orientation activities]

Back row (l-r): Brandy Dubs (USA), Samantha Westbrooke (Australia), Marlise Fratinardo (USA), William Powell (USA), Javier Acosta (Spain), Mariana Isa (Malaysia), Carolina Cheong (USA), Rea Harrada (Japan), Jodi Black (USA), and Jeanwha Song (Korea).

Bottom row (l-r): Zivile Sulskaite (Lithuania), James Cocks (USA), Daniella Costa (Brazil), Edward Fitzgerald (USA), Beatrice Messeri (Italy), and Carmen Gonzalez (Paraguay).

Not pictured:  Kaci Kepferle (USA, Intern to Ghana) and Katie Stojsavljevic (USA, Intern to India).

2007 US/ICOMOS Internship Reports   -   Read about the Final Program

SEE THE FULL 2007 REPORT IN PDF FORMAT

Orientation began on Wednesday, May 30 at the US/ICOMOS office, located in the National Building Museum.  Donald Jones, US/ICOMOS Director of Programs, welcomed the interns to Washington, described the International Exchange Program, and provided an overview of the week's agenda. Following a catered lunch at the US/ICOMOS office, several business matters were concluded, such as distributing stipend checks to the interns who came from overseas and making copies of all relevant visa documents. After lunch, Rebecca Miller (President, DC Preservation League) and Heather MacIntosh (Executive Director, Preservation Action) each met with the interns and gave descriptions of their organization's respective activities.

Following lunch, the interns visited the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation in the Old Post Office Building.  John Fowler, Executive Director of the Advisory Council and Chairman of the US/ICOMOS Board of Trustees, described the role of the Federal Government in historic preservation in the United States.  After a visit to the bank to cash stipend checks, the group reconvened at the hotel then traveled by metro to a welcome dinner at Thunder Grill in the main concourse of the historic Union Station.

On Thursday, the group visited the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and met with Paul Edmondson, the National Trust's General Counsel and David Fields (who runs the National Trust's summer intern program). On Friday, the group met with Troy Thompson (former US/ICOMOS Intern to Lithuania) and Whitney Izor (former US/ICOMOS Intern to Romania), at SmithGroup, a large private architecture firm with offices in Washington to learn about the role of the private sector in preservation projects.  Following that discussion, were led on a brief walking tour of the financial district of Washington, passing by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank headquarters, before heading to the Federal Triangle, past the Old Executive Office Building and the White House, before heading up to lunch at the Sky Terrace atop the Hotel Washington, overlooking the White House, Washington Monument, and Lincoln Memorial.  The interns then had the afternoon and evening free for last-minute business, sight-seeing, and a night on the town before heading off to their internship locations the following day.

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Below: John Fowler, Executive Director of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (and current Chair, US/ICOMOS Board of Trustees) describes the extensive Federal preservation program. Right:  William Powell (USA Intern to Lithuania) in the tower of the Old Post Office Building
Welcome Dinner, Thunder Grill, Union Station Right (l-r):  Brandy Dubs (USA, Intern to Ireland), Caroline Cheong (USA, Intern to Jordan), and Kaci Kepferle (USA, Intern to Ghana) Below (l-r):  Carmen Gonzalez (Paraguay, Intern to Cornerstones), Beatrice Messeri (Italy, Intern to Hillier Architecture), and Javier Acosta (Spain, Intern to the Presidio Trust). Below right (l-r):  Jodi Black (USA, Intern to the ICOMOS Secretariat) and Meghan Boyce (USA, 2006 Intern to the ICOMOS Secterariat).
Right (l-r):  William Powell (USA, Intern to Lithuania), James Cocks (USA, Intern to Israel), Marlise Fratinardo (USA, Intern to Jordan), and Edward Fitzgerald (USA, Intern to Scotland).
National Trust for Historic Preservation Right: Paul Edmondson (Vice President and General Counsel, National Trust) and David Fields (Human Resources, Intern Program, National Trust. Below and below right: US/ICOMOS International Interns at the National Trust.
SmithGroup Right: Troy Thompson (SmithGroup, and former US/ICOMOS Intern to Lithuania) with Carmen Gonzalez (Paraguay) and Samantha Westbrooke (Australia).
Sky Terrace (Hotel Washington) Right: Interns enjoy their final day in Washington with lunch on the Sky Terrace, overlooking the White House grounds. Below (l-r): Edward Fitzgerald (USA, Intern to Scotland), Danielle Costa (Brazil, Intern to Hillier Architecture), Mariana Isa (Malaysia, Intern to Historic Charleston Foundation), Caroline Cheong (USA, Intern to Jordan), and Jodi Black (USA, Intern to the ICOMOS Secretariat). Below right (l-r): Carmen Gonzalez (Paraguay, Intern to Cornerstones), Zivile Sulskaite (Lithuania, Intern to Cornerstones), and Jeanwha Song (Korea, Intern to Clemson University, Charleston)
Interns out on the town in Washington, DC Right:  At the Brickskeller in Dupont Circle (which features the world's largest selection of beer). Below and below right:  Dancing at the Sign of the Whale the final night of orientation.  The following morning, the 2007 class of US/ICOMOS International Interns traveled to their host locations across the United States and across the globe.
Congratulations to the 2007 class of US/ICOMOS International Interns!