Meet Our Summer 2024 Interns

Meet our summer 2024 interns, who have just finished up their internships at the Phillips. Read about what they worked on over this past semester. Thank you, Joanna, Lilianna, Carina, Gabrielle, and Katherine! Learn more about the Phillips’s paid internships.

Hi everyone, my name is Joanna Zhang! I am a rising senior at the University of Maryland, studying Finance and Information Systems. At the University of Maryland, I am involved with my Investment club as well as being the VP of Finance for my sorority. At The Phillips Collection, I helped the finance team with bank reconciliations, fiscal year budgets, looking over the endowment funds, and working on cost analysis. In my personal time, I enjoy watching F1, embroidery, and hiking.

I am Lilianna McGee and I am a seventh generation D.C. Native, currently a student at The Cooper Union where I am pursuing an undergraduate degree in Fine Arts. As a kid growing up in the DMV area I practically grew up in museums. I attended all the public programming and events these museums had to offer. I even had the opportunity to learn at The Phillips Collection as a child. Now, as an adult, I want to work within these institutions to provide a new generation with the same experiences that inspired me to pursue work in the artistic field. I believe I was really able to achieve this as the Community Engagement Intern at the Phillips’s Southeast location in Ward 8, Phillips@THEARC, mentored by Laylaa Randera and Donna Jonte. Helping facilitate and contribute to these programs with the community engagement team gave me insight into what good art can really do for a community. Not only as an educational experience, but it has the ability to unite communities and bring people together in conversation. I also learned the many technical things that go into running an art space and what it means to work with an artist and bring their vision to life. This whole experience has enriched and renewed my passion for arts education for communities in need and a new generation. 

Carina Velocci is a rising fourth-year undergraduate student from Richmond, Virginia. She attends the University of Virginia where she is pursuing a double major in Art History and Studio Art with a concentration in New Media. This summer, Carina interned with the Public Programming department under the guidance of Ashley Whitfield. In this role, she supported various events and undertook administrative tasks crucial to the success of upcoming programs. One of Carina’s notable contributions was the development of an original craft concept for the August Phillips after 5 art-making activity. She designed prototypes, sourced and purchased all necessary materials, and guided participants through the creative process during the event. Additionally, Carina played a key role in preparing for the “Collaging with…” series, procuring supplies for five workshops led by artists. These projects provided her with hands-on experience in every aspect of event planning and execution, from ideation to facilitation. Alongside her major projects, Carina participated in the setup, cleanup, and execution of various programs, including curatorial talks, a conservation panel, and a staged reading of plays inspired by Jacob Lawrence’s Migration Series. Her passion for the arts extends into her college life, where she has been deeply involved with the Fralin Museum of Art at UVA. Carina currently serves as chair of the museum’s student docent program and Student Engagement Council. She also works as a course assistant in the University’s art department and their interns at a local gallery. In her free time, Carina enjoys creating hand-drawn animations, organizing and performing at live music events, and spending as much time as possible at art museums.

Gabrielle Hester is a rising Junior at the University of Maryland, College Park studying Technology & Information Design and Immersive Media Design. During her internship, she worked closely with Shelby Bergstresser and Renee Littleton, contributing and learning from the DEAI and Marketing & Communications departments. With a background in interactive design, branding, marketing, and the implementation of diversity and inclusion, Gabrielle was able to contribute to various projects while participating in the internship, including exhibition outreach, social media branding and algorithm analysis, copywriting for the DEAI portion of the museum website, and editing of the DEAI definitions and terms glossary utilized throughout the museum. As she returns to university life, she will continue being passionate about the way that humans interact with art and design and serve as a proponent for thoughtful design and communication.

Kate Plunkett is rising senior at The Catholic University of America pursuing majors in Anthropology, Art & Design, and Global Studies. As the Human Resources Intern, she worked on projects such as planning the End of Fiscal Year staff celebration, assisting with payroll and benefits, supporting administrative functions, and various training initiatives in the form of seminars and digital platforms. Outside of school, she is the Editor-in-Chief of the Tower Student Newspaper, and an artist interested in drawing and printmaking. In her free time, she loves visiting art museums and hopes to continue to work in the museum field.