Guest post by Dominique Mickiewicz and Jane Kinsella
Making connections across oceans, TALIM has fostered an ongoing relationship with Wellesley College employing one to two undergraduate students to work in an enriching onsite internship program. Interns have arrived in Tangier from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds united by the desire to gain insight and hands-on experience in the functionings of TALIM collections and cultural programs, while simultaneously learning what it means to live and work abroad. Wellesley students have contributed valued work including digitizing and cataloging of museum and library collections to contributing content to the website and the blog, all while learning and practicing their French, Spanish, and Arabic language skills within the local community. Past projects have also been completed in collaboration with the Aga Khan Documentation Center at MIT (AKDC@MIT) in which Wellesley interns have archived photos, musical files, and other digital resources to increase access to those resources, and to create a visual representation of Moroccan culture.
The Wellesley Internship program with TALIM has remained resilient despite the ensuing global pandemic. Adapting into a virtual program, TALIM welcomed two new Wellesley interns, Dominique Mickiewicz ‘22 and Jane Kinsella ‘22, onto the team. They are supervised by Michael Toler, Archnet Content Manager of AKDC@MIT, and TALIM Secretary. Read more about thee experience of the interns and their ongoing projects below!
Meet the Interns!
Dominique ‘22 – Working from Montclair, Virginia
Bonjour! My name is Dominique and I am so happy to have been a part of the TALIM internship program this summer! I am an International Relations and French Language double major and enjoyed engaging with museum projects that wove culture and communication together!
As a virtual intern, I researched and developed a new History Page for the official website. Learning about TALIM’s rich past was a rewarding experience that provided me with a deeper understanding of the global function of the Legation, while also allowing me to contextualize its cultural purpose for future audiences. Understanding the organization’s background helped me in other assignments that included categorizing archival glass negative photographs for future exhibits.
Another interesting project I embarked on involved updating and expanding TALIM’s communication strategy. My work creating an inventory of social media platforms centralized information about TALIM’s engagement with its virtual audience. In addition, I renewed contact lists, drafted welcome emails, and organized TALIM’s multiple audiences to facilitate museum engagement with the public during the global pandemic.
Working remotely altered the typical internship experience, yet creative solutions made this unique opportunity incredibly valuable. For me, a normal work week involved collaborating on shared documents pertaining to different projects in Google Drive and meeting weekly with my supervisor for mentorship and discussion. I learned so much during my internship with TALIM, and am very grateful for the staff members who advocated for the continuation of a virtual program.
Jane ‘22 Working from Healdsburg , California
Hello! My name is Jane and I am thrilled to participate in the TALIM internship program this summer. While I am disappointed that we could not be in Tangier this summer, I am joyous that we are still able to work together and contribute to the community of the Legation. At Wellesley, I am concentrating on Francophone Art History and Comparative Literature.
This summer, I am primarily working on redesigning the Legation’s website. My main goal in redesigning the website is to address the need and interest for a virtual platform museums must provide in light of the circumstances presented by the pandemic. I hope to continue working with the Legation to bring more of their exhibitions, shows, and curations to global audiences across multiple platforms.
I hope to soon visit the Legation in person.
NOTE: The post was originally written at the beginning of the summer, but delayed while work progressed on the website. The site you are now visiting and our new mailing list are the fruit of Dominique’s and Jane’s work. So, too, are some efficiencies that you will benefit from, but may not directly notice. I very much hope they will soon have the opportunity to visit the Legation. Many thanks them and to Rachid Aadnani, John Davison, Ayoub El Jamal and, especially, Wellesley College’s Career Education services.
-Michael Toler, TALIM Secretary
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