Michelle Knovic Smith Education Technology Internship

Be a part of the team that helps further discovery, creativity, sharing… and excitement for digital education.

The Smithsonian’s Office of Educational Technology (OET) connects educators and educational communities to the Smithsonian’s vast ecosystem of digital educational resources. They accomplish this with the Smithsonian Learning Lab, an education platform where educators can incorporate Smithsonian museum objects, archives, and resources into their classroom; by connecting PK12 teachers with Smithsonian museum educators through professional development sessions; serving as a resource for internal Smithsonian educators, providing guidance and support on best practices in educational technology; and building partnerships to expand reach.

An internship at the Smithsonian Office of Educational Technology is a unique opportunity to be part of a department working to make digital education resources more accessible and useful to PK12 teachers, students, parents, and anyone looking to discover and explore museum content. As an intern with us, you'll be an integral part of the team, working to deepen, enrich, personalize, and promote learning through the creative use of museum resources.

Michelle Knovic Smith Education Technology Internship

Michelle Knovic Smith (1950–2021), was an educator, mentor, and leader. In her more than three decades at the Smithsonian, she pioneered innovative and effective approaches to the Smithsonian's mission of the “diffusion of knowledge.” First, as Publications Director for the Institution’s teacher magazines, Art to Zoo and Smithsonian in Your Classroom, Michelle developed publications and distribution strategies that reached every school in the country. Later, as Associate Director at the Smithsonian Center for Learning and Digital Access, she pioneered the development of the Smithsonian’s first web-based platforms and tools that ensured that every classroom across the nation could access the wealth of resources provided digitally by Smithsonian museums. As a colleague, she was a dedicated and influential mentor who guided and encouraged multiple generations of Smithsonian educators and technologists.

The Smithsonian Women's Committee generously supports the Michelle Knovic Smith Education Technology Internship.

Purpose

The Michelle Knovic Smith Education Technology Internship exists to honor this legacy. It provides a paid summer internship for one student interested in education, technology, and museum outreach to work alongside and learn with the team from the Smithsonian Office of Educational Technology (OET). OET’s mission is to deepen, enrich, and personalize learning by encouraging and supporting the creative use of museum resources through research and collaboration with education partners. Interns will participate in all aspects of this work, including serving the Smithsonian community and the nation's classroom educators to increase collaboration, skills, and agility in using digital resources for educational purposes through guidance, assistance, and training. They will also work with museum educators and technologists to support and evolve the Webby Award-winning Smithsonian Learning Lab software platform.

Note that this opportunity does NOT require specific technical skills or experience.

Eligibility

• U.S. Citizens and U.S. permanent residents; and
• Enrolled in a community college, or four-year college or university, as a rising first year/freshman through rising college fourth year/senior; or
• Enrolled in a graduate school with a concentration or research focus on museums, education, or technology.
• Students who graduated in 2027 prior to the start of the internship period or will graduate during it, will be considered.

Time Commitment

The internship commitment is 40 hours per week, Monday–Friday. The 2027 program dates will be June 7, 2027 – July 30, 2027.

Stipend

$800/week (full-time) = $6,400; Maximum eight-week internship period.

Logistics

Transportation to and housing in Washington, D.C., will NOT be provided.

Background Investigation

All academic appointees, including interns, must undergo a security background investigation and fingerprinting through the Smithsonian’s Office of Protection Services.

For more information about Smithsonian Internships, please visit https://internships.si.edu/frequently-asked-questions.

How to Apply

Apply online through the Smithsonian Online Academic Appointment System (SOLAA). Please carefully review the project description(s) before applying.

Once you have created an account in SOLAA, you will need to upload and complete all the required information, including:

• Current resume (do not include a photo)
• Statement of Purpose (length: no more than 500 words) that includes:
• Academic and career goals and interests.
• Internship goals (1–3 learning objectives) and how the internship relates to your academic and career goals; and
• What about the Smithsonian in particular interests you and leads you to apply for an internship in the education technology field?
• Letter of recommendation (1) from a professor, mentor, or advisor submitted before the deadline.
• Transcript (unofficial)

Applications must be submitted by February 15, 2027 (5:00 PM ET)

Complete applications are those submitted in SOLAA with supporting materials of resume, essay, one letter of recommendation, and unofficial transcript. OET will interview finalist candidates via video conference. All applicants and selected candidates will be notified on or before March 19, 2027, through an email from the SOLAA system.