UMass Boston

The 2025 summer cohort shares their experiences working as Gardner Ambassadors at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

Since its first cohort in 2019, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum’s Ambassador Program has provided opportunities for students interested in the arts, culture, and museum work. The internship focuses on opening doors for students historically underrepresented in the field. Students from UMass Boston and Bunker Hill Community College receive firsthand experience across different museum departments through a paid, part-time internship meant to build professional skills and networks. 

“The Gardner Ambassadors Program is a unique part-time internship program designed to give students firsthand experience in museum work, education on the history of the Gardner Museum, and customer service training through working with our visitors,” Rachel DeLuca, academic programs manager at the museum. “Students of any major can apply. The main goal of this program is to open up opportunities for historically excluded students: students of low-income, students of color, and first-generation students.”

Each cohort spends the summer working with museum staff across different departments while attending weekly seminars. The experience is designed to give students a deeper understanding of museum operations and the larger role of art institutions in community life. 

“Our goal is for Ambassadors to learn the significant history of our collection and founder and how the Museum functions today,” DeLuca explained. “Ambassadors should leave with an understanding of the Museum’s role in the community and feel an extra connection to the artists, staff, and visitors we serve.”

Helina Almonte, a UMass Boston student and member of the 2025 summer cohort for the Ambassador’s Program, shared that the experience was a rare opportunity to gain curatorial and research experience while working on live exhibitions.

“I assisted in the installation of the current ‘Ming Fay: Edge of the Garden’ exhibition and had the opportunity to handle the art under the direction of my managers and the artist's son,” Almonte said. “I also assisted in several research projects including the research of upcoming exhibitions. In doing research I got to meet with librarians at the BPL for research appointments, look through archival museum materials, and see artist’s proofs up close.”

Another student, Leanne Navarro, works in historical records and preservation in the museum’s archives. She shared that she was originally drawn to the program for how well it fit with her goals. “The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is a richly curated cultural and historical cornerstone of Boston, aligning well with my own interests and future pursuits” she said. 

Pictured: Leanne Navarro working in museum’s archives

Navarro spent the summer inventorying incoming correspondence to help create a resource for researchers working with museum collections. “Handling materials, conducting regular inventory, and continual updates of the catalog are typical aspects of archival processing,” she said. “I also worked with the collections department to rehouse the work of Allan Rohan Crite, an African-American artist based in Boston’s South End.”

Beyond the hands-on experience, the cohort emphasized the supportive culture of the program.

“The highlight of my experience is most certainly the people I have come to know,” Navarro said. “The generosity, sincerity, and energy of everyone I worked with created an environment where I felt I belonged and thrived.”

Almonte had a similar sentiment: “My highlight of the experience so far has been making so many connections with the other ambassadors and people that work here.” 

DeLuca shared that the summer 2025 cohort stood out for their enthusiasm and initiative. “This cohort excelled in networking, completing numerous informational interviews onsite and with colleagues at other museums,” said DeLuca. “One highlight from this summer was the Ambassadors’ involvement in the summer special exhibitions, from helping assemble site-specific installations, to helping with promotional marketing. This all happened in the first two weeks of the program, and the students were ready to jump right in”

The museum plans to expand the program for both schools into a full academic year-long model starting in fall 2026. 

To students considering applying, Navarro said, “No matter who you are or where your interests lie, you will absolutely have much to offer the museum and in turn, the museum will teach you many things and you will leave feeling enriched by the experience in meaningful ways.”

“Apply!” Almonte added. “The environment is very warm and welcoming; you will learn so much, and it's super rewarding.”

More information on the Gardner Ambassador program can be found on their website.