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2007 Class of US/ICOMOS International Interns at the National Trust for Historic Preservation in Washington, DC |
The US/ICOMOS International Exchange Program in historic preservation provides international advanced training, hands-on experience for a young practicing professional. Sponsorship of an intern can allow an organization to increase its personnel for the summer at low cost to the sponsor and to establish international associations. The exchange of information between host and intern is not limited to professional ideas but extends to social, political, and personal relations. US/ICOMOS internships are geared toward individuals who are in their last year of a relevant graduate program or have been working for 1-3 years in a professional capacity. Successful applicants are those who demonstrate an interest in pursuing preservation work in an international capacity, NOT simply those who need an internship to fulfill a program requirement. The program is very competitive in that only 1 in 5 applicants are awarded internships in any given year. Review past internships to learn about the types of skills
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Follow these links (or scroll down) to learn more about the program. |
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Program Overview Interns are selected on a competitive basis for participation in the US/ICOMOS International Exchange Program. Internships are approximately 12 weeks in length and are usually held during the summer (from June to August), although some internships may be held at other times of the year. US/ICOMOS hosts all U.S. and international interns for a program orientation in Washington, DC. Interns then disperse to their various host organizations where they complete a preservation-related project designed by the host organization. At the end of the summer, all interns reconvene in Washington, DC for a final farewell program. The program schedule for 2008 is set as follows (subject to minor variations in accordance with host organization schedules)
Visit these links to view past host organizations and program sponsors and funders: Interns must be graduate students or young professionals with at minimum an undergraduate degree in a preservation-related field. Candidates are asked to submit a curriculum vitae, two letters of recommendation, a 500-word essay describing their reasons for wanting to participate in the program, and examples of their work. Participants are selected on the basis of skill, demonstrated commitment to historic preservation, previous experience and academic concentration in the field and the ability to represent their country in an exchange program. In addition, interns are chosen whose skills, training, interest and previous experience match the needs of host organizations. Applications submitted by U.S. citizens are selected for specific internships by a jury of professional members of US/ICOMOS; applications from other ICOMOS national committees are screened at the national committee level, and then forwarded to US/ICOMOS for selection and assignments. The file of the strongest candidate(s) for a particular internship is sent to the host office (in the U.S. and in participating countries) for review and final approval. U.S. host organizations provide a substantial portion, but not all, of the costs associated with the internship. The program also is supported by substantial contributions from private foundations and individual donations. As noted above, US/ICOMOS provides funding for all internships through a variety of sources, and the stipends provided to interns are intended to cover basic living expenses (food and housing), during orientation and final program in Washington, DC and for the duration of the internship. In some cases, travel grants may also be available for U.S. interns traveling overseas. Interns from overseas coming to the U.S. must provide their own roundtrip travel. The precise amount of the stipends depends on a variety of factors, including the level of funding received, whether free or reduced housing is provided by the host organization, and the relative cost of living of the internship location. In all cases, interns are strongly encouraged to bring with them sufficient personal funds to cover entertainment and other costs. Intern stipends are considered reimbursement for living expenses, are NOT considered salary or wages, and therefore are not considered to be taxable income. For the internship to be successful, one person must accept the role of supervisor and mentor for the entire period of the internship. There must be regular review and evaluation. Interns should be exposed to as many different aspects of the work and activities of the host institution as possible. On the other hand, interns should not be treated as special guests. They are expected to work to the professional standards of the rest of the staff, to work the same hours and to accept the same degree of responsibility for their work. Host organizations must provide the following assistance:
IInterns are selected on a competitive basis and are expected to be professional in their behavior and work ethic. Each US/ICOMOS intern agrees to:
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