Student lands prestigious 12-month internship at Museum of Modern Art
| Name: | Carmen Hermo '07 |
| Major: | Art History and English |
| Academics: | Quest Scholarship Philip J. Frederick Memorial Award in Art History Joel and Lila Harnett Fellowship Phi Beta Kappa English Honor Society |
| Activities: | Joel and Lila Harnett Museum of Art Co-Curator University Writing Center Print Study Center Newark Museum Intern |
How did you get involved in art history?
As a freshman at Richmond, I focused on being an English major, knowing that I wanted to pursue a degree that would perfect my writing skills and prepare me for an academically oriented career. However, during my elective art history survey course, and in the years to come, my professors took a special interest in my essays and thoughts, nurturing my studies and provoking me to make art history my primary major.
You also nurtured your interests outside of the classroom.
Over the course of my college career, I pursued my academic passions, whether on-campus at the Joel and Lila Harnett Museum of Art and the University Writing Center, or interning at the Newark Museum in New Jersey. In 2006, I was awarded the Joel and Lila Harnett Fellowship at the Print Study Center. Working with University Museums director Richard Waller, I learned a lot about museums and about my desired career path in the museum field.
Tell us about your undergraduate research.
During my studies, I was awarded the Quest Scholarship twice; once for a research project on water architecture in Mumbai, India, and in my senior year for a thesis-based trip to study the painter Francisco de Goya in Madrid, Spain. My thesis, "Performance, Intent, and Aspiration in the Self-Portraits of Francisco de Goya," was advised by Dr. Elena Calvillo, my professor and mentor. Her guidance and my diligence saw the project to its completion, where it was presented at the Arts and Sciences Symposium and won the paper contest.
What's next?
After finishing up an internship at the Museo del Barrio, New York's Latin American and Caribbean art museum, I'm beginning my 12-month internship at the Museum of Modern Art. I will be working in the Curatorial Department's Drawings division.
How has your liberal arts education at Richmond contributed to your post-graduate success?
My particular combination of majors trained me as a student and as an individual. My classes and professors exposed me to academic theory and visual cultures while also sharpening my skills in writing and analysis. I don't doubt that the academic rigor and professorial excellence of the art history department helped prepare me for such a prestigious and challenging position. Additionally, my experiences in the department, as well as at the University, make me confident in my eventual pursuit of a doctoral degree in art history, and an intended career path as a scholar and museum curator.