INTERNSHIPS

INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

The South Asia Institute (SAI) interns have the opportunity to work closely with the institute’s founders, curators, and other team members in one of three areas: exhibition conceptualization and installation, communication and marketing, and professional grant writing. Over the course of their internships, students will learn a wide range of subject-specific and transferable skills which will help prepare them for many careers. These skills will include ‘reading’ images from varied cultures, critical thinking, conveying complex information in an accessible and persuasive manner, speaking to groups, clarifying others’ thoughts, and working with diverse primary sources and databases. SAI internships will also offer participants a chance to develop and refine leadership skills.

They will learn to articulate short-term goals and long-term visions, develop connections, take calculated risks, actively listen to diverse viewpoints, build teams, and become acquainted with ways of managing a non-profit cultural institution’s fiscal resources and physical infrastructure.

Internship Details

Internship positions are offered throughout the year and focus is tailored to the applicant's skills and interest. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

SAI is happy to work with colleges and universities across the United States to help students secure academic credit for work they pursue during their internships.

SAI is also happy to provide interns with honoraria on a case-by-case basis prioritizing those interns who can demonstrate that the institution of higher learning that they are enrolled in will provide a matching amount.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted from students at any stage of their careers – from those pursuing their undergraduate degrees to advanced doctoral candidates. Recent graduates may also apply.
Prior training in the arts and humanities and prior internship experience at a museum or another cultural institution is preferred.
Applicant should submit a cover letter explaining their interest in SAI and goals.
Submit CV/Resume
Submit Letter of recommendation from college/university professor.
Submit all application materials via email to: info@saichicago.org

INTERNS

Ashley Husain is a senior at the SAIC specializing in animation and film. She has a passion for storytelling and artistic expression, dedicated to creating narratives that resonate with underrepresented communities, aiming to inspire diverse audiences with compelling tales that leave a lasting impact.

**Zahra Dostmohammed**, Intern | Summer 2024

Zahra Dostmohammed is a current student at the Art Institute of Chicago and will graduate in 2025. Her focus is on studio art including painting, drawing, printmaking, and ceramics. As an intern at South Asia Institute, she explores the fields of curation and exhibition design.

Emma Russom is a senior at Loyola University Chicago double majoring in Art History and Business Management. Working as an intern, she is interested in creating a deeper and more accessible connection to art for audiences.

**Nia Oke-Famakinde,** Collections Intern | Summer 2023

Nia Oke-Famakinde earned her BA in Art Management, with a concentration in visual arts, from Columbia College Chicago (2023). As a longtime Chicagoan, she is interested in supporting local art nonprofits and exploring the wealth of knowledge that historical and contemporary art has to offer.

**Harini Nilakantan**, Exhibitions Intern | Fall 2022

Harini Nilakantan is a second year Masters student in Museum and Exhibition Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her main interests lie with South Asian art and art history, culture, and dance. She aims to merge performing arts and fine art to create dynamic exhibitions in the future.

**Amelia Hansen**, Exhibitions Intern | Summer 2022

Amelia Hansen is a senior at the University of Michigan, where she will graduate with a BA in Art & Design and minors in the History of Art and Museum Studies. She has experience organizing exhibitions, researching collections, and designing visual communication. In the future, she plans to pursue graduate school..

**Ludvig Peres**, Photography Intern | Summer 2020

Ludvig Perés earned his BA in Photography from Columbia College in Chicago. In the fall of 2018, his work was featured in the exhibition Fotografiska Talent 2018 at the Swedish Museum of Photography in Stockholm and in the spring of 2019, his solo exhibit Klärobskyr opened at the Swedish American Museum in Chicago.

Sofi Pascua is a student at Northwestern University studying Theatre and Music. Sofi is currently interested in researching and promoting the cultural arts of marginalized and underrepresented communities.

Muskaan Dhingra is currently pursuing a BFA in studio with an emphasis in Visual Communication at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She is committed to leveraging the power of visual communication to explore the intricate intersections of South Asian fine art, humanitarian issues, and graphic design.

**Ankit Khadgi,** Communications Intern | Summer 2023

Ankit Khadgi is a Visual and Critical Studies graduate student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He is a Nepali writer, and journalist and wants to curate art shows and events in the future.

**Pratima Pinnepalli,** Intern | Spring 2023

Pratima Pinnepalli grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She currently attends the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and is expected to graduate in 2024. She is studying comics, illustration, and printmaking as a way to explore alternate methods of sharing information.

**Ani Kalousdian**, Library Intern | Summer 2022

Ani Kalousdian is a recent graduate of the University of Michigan, where she studied the history of art. Her interest lies in the intersection of theology and art. In the Fall of 2022, she will begin a master's program in Middle Eastern Studies at Harvard University, where she will focus on medieval Persian and Armenian manuscripts.