2025 Summer Research Internships
During the summer of 2025, the Icon Museum and Study Center (IM+SC) will offer two on-site, six-week research internships: The Catherine Mannick Research Internship and the John Barns Research Internship. Interns will be based in the Study Center and will focus on building knowledge around the icon collection and Eastern Christian art. In addition to having full access to the icons on display and in storage, they will enjoy borrowing privileges at the Study Center library and College of the Holy Cross library and may make use of materials-based study resources. Interns will take part in workshops on painting techniques and paleography and will join in trips to area collections. In consultation with the Curator, interns will develop a project in the first week of their residency; the internship will conclude with a final public presentation of their research.
The internship is open to advanced undergraduate and graduate students at the MA and PhD levels. Reading knowledge of a modern research language (French or German) and some knowledge of Greek or any Slavic language is desirable but not required.
IM+SC internships will ideally begin in early July, with some flexibility on start dates.
To apply, please submit:
- A statement of interest (1-2 pages single spaced). Applicants should present ideas for a project pertaining to their course of study and the IM+SC collection.
- A C.V. or resume
- Names and contacts of 2 references
Interns at the undergraduate level will be compensated $15 per hour and those at the MA and PhD levels $20 per hour for twenty-eight hours a week (four days). Housing and travel stipends may be provided with final allotment depending on available funds.
Applications are due March 31.
Please contact the Curator, Justin Willson, to apply and for any questions about these positions.
Since its founding in 2006 the Icon Museum and Study Center has hosted wide-ranging exhibitions including Two Museums / One Culture (2008) with the Tretyakov Gallery, Treasures from Moscow: Icons from the Andrey Rublev Museum (2010), Byzantium to Russia: Origins and Development of Russian Icons (2015) with The British Museum, Icons of the Hellenic World: The Tiliakos Collection (2018), Wrestling with Angels (2019), and Printing Icons: Modern Process, Medieval Image (2024). The Museum strives to showcase the breadth of Orthodox artistic traditions.
As a John Barns Intern at the Icon Museum and Study Center, I had the invaluable opportunity to engage deeply with Byzantine and post-Byzantine iconography. My experience included hands-on work with a diverse collection of icons, and collaborating with a team of dedicated scholars. This internship not only enhanced my understanding of the historical and cultural significance of these religious artifacts but also honed my skills in archival research and curatorial practices. The mentorship and resources provided by the museum were instrumental in shaping my academic and professional trajectory in the field of art history.
My time at the IM+SC allowed me to explore new topics related to my interests in Russia and religion. I appreciated that the museums’ staff and administration treated the interns with respect, trusting us to handle items in the collection, and conduct research independently. This level of trust and access far exceeded my expectations. Input from the museums curator, Justin Willson, helped me organize my ideas and exposed me to fantastic scholars in the field.