Student Opportunities

Student Opportunities

Museums on campus provide W&L students academic opportunities including internships, undergraduate research and work experiences, independent study and capstones, special classrooms and programming, student engagement, and more. 

Academic Engagement

Summer Interns:

  • Grace McCurdy, Class of 2026, 2023 Collections Summer Intern
    Grace McCurdy
  • Peyton Quimby, Class of 2024, 2023 Engagement and Interpretation Summer Intern
    Summer Intern Peyton Quimby

Past Summer Interns:

  • Laurel Myers, Class of 2020, 2019 Collections Summer Intern
    Laurel Myers
  • Virginia Laurie, Class of 2022, 2019 Collections Summer Intern
    Virginia Laurie
  • Charlotte Cook, Class of 2019, 2019 Collections Summer Intern
    Charlotte Cook
  • Matthew Richards, Class of 2019, 2019 Collections Summer Intern
    Matthew Richards
  • Amelia Lancaster, Class of 2022, 2021 Collections Summer Intern
    Amelia Lancaster
  • Kaylin Jury, Class of 2024, 2022 Collections Summer Intern
    Kaylin Jury
  • Hailey Neaman, Class of 2025, 2022 Collections Summer Intern
    Hailey Neaman

The Art and Art History Department offers a Minor in Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies. In support of the minor, the Museums at W&L offer ARTH 398: Seminar in Museum Studies and ARTH 348: Chinese Export Porcelain and the China Trade, 1500 to 1900, instructed by museum staff.

  1. ARTH 398 (2021): Student Exhibition
  2. MORE ABOUT THE MINOR 

This annual award is named in honor of Thomas V. Litzenburg Jr., Class of 1957, and former director of the Reeves Center. The award recognizes a graduating student who demonstrates outstanding achievement in research, creativity, and curatorial work with the museum's collections.

Past Recipients:

  • 2023 Merrill Dowdy
  • 2022 Amelia Lancaster 
  • 2020 Kassidy Strosnider
  • 2019 David R. Salchert
  • 2018 Julie Ruth Malone
  • 2017 Arianna India Dial
  • 2016 Hannah Tyler Wilson
  • 2016 Kendall Christine Knoll
  • 2013 Ellen Margaretta Archie
  • 2012 Rachel Elyse Denniston
  • 2011 Kathryn Bradley Gephart
  • 2010 Lauren Frances Sturdy
  • 2008 Madeline Lilia Gent
  • 2007 Anne Taylor Tipton
  • 2005 Michael David Letournea
  • 2004 Clay Tillman Jackson, Jr.

Student Engagement

在学年期间,博物馆在W&L provide a mix of art, food, and entertainment programs, both virtually and in person. Including lecture series, interactive experiences, mindfulness workshops, gallery talks, and much more. Follow us on social media for event updates.

The Museums at W&L wishes to help each student grow into engaged and change-making citizens. It’s essential that Washington and Lee students know that they are seen, heard, and valued by the Museums. Incorporating student reflections into exhibitions and programming is a continued goal. Below are just a few ways in which students engage with and reflect on Museums collections.

Get Involved

Throughout the year the Museum at W&L offers various paid employment opportunities for WLU undergraduate students. These can include curatorial work and museum education, and positions in the Museums Shop. Student employees contribute to, and experience, diverse areas of Museum work. It is an exciting opportunity for someone with a passion for art, business, culture, history, and/or museums. Work schedules for student staff are flexible to accommodate class schedules and include some evening and weekend hours.

Positions include:

  • Museum Administrative Aids serve as organizers and "behind-the-scenes" support for the Museums. Aids facilitate interdepartmental communications and work one-on-one with the Museum Administrator to address the clerical and operational needs of the Museums and their staff.

  • Museum Assistants serve as liaisons between the Museums and the university and work one-on-one with the Curator of Academic Engagement on education, exhibition, and/or collections research, contributing to upcoming shows.

  • Museum Attendants serve as front-line ambassadors to University Chapel & Galleries, the Reeves Museum of Ceramics, and the Watson Galleries. Attendants are directly responsible for setting the tone of every museum visit by welcoming each visitor. Museum Attendants work with the Visitor Services and Retail Manager to provide excellent visitor services while maintaining a safe and secure environment and protecting the museum’s collection.

The Museums at W&L is forming our first-ever student-focused organization this fall. As a founding member, you and your peers will have a direct impact on the mission of the committee. You'll help us:

  • Promote the museum as a welcoming space through events and exhibitions
  • Plan social activities and events inspired by the art collection
  • Serve as an advisor to the Museums
  • Collaborate with student groups to promote the Museums

We are looking for students from ALL majors and disciplines! Bring a friend to an info session to learn more:

  • Tuesday, October 3, 2023, 6:30-7:30 p.m. in Leyburn 128
  • Tuesday, October 24, 2023, 6:30-7:30 p.m. in Leyburn 128
  • Thursday, October 26, 2023, 6:30-7:30 p.m. in Leyburn 128

Pizza provided!

For more information, contact Elizabeth Spear at espear@china727.net

Our Mission

The Museums at W&L advance learning through direct engagement with the collections and facilitate an interdisciplinary appreciation of art, history, and culture.