When Ivana Ebersole graduated from the University of Northern Iowa this spring with a degree in history and a minor in religious studies, she was already preparing for an opportunity many aspiring museum professionals only dream about.

This summer, Ebersole is serving as a collections and curatorial intern at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., where she's gaining firsthand experience at one of the world's largest and most respected museum systems.

Working in the museum's Division of Work and Industry under curator Amanda Moniz, Ebersole is contributing to the Black Philanthropist Project by editing oral history transcripts that document the stories of Black philanthropists. The interviews will become part of the Smithsonian's archives, expanding resources available to researchers while helping tell a more complete story of American philanthropy.

While the project itself has been meaningful, Ebersole said she's equally appreciated seeing what happens behind the scenes at a museum of the Smithsonian's scale.

Attending exhibit planning meetings has given her a firsthand look at the collaborative process behind every exhibition. Designers, editors, production staff, curators and other specialists all play distinct roles in bringing exhibits to life — a level of specialization she hadn't experienced before.

"I keep being surprised at how many specialized staff there are," Ebersole said. "It made me even more impressed" by the work happening at smaller museums.

Attending exhibit planning meetings has given her a front-row seat to the collaborative work that brings museum exhibitions to life and reinforced how many different careers exist within the museum profession.

"It's been really interesting to see what's available," Ebersole said. "There are jobs I didn't even really know existed."

Ironically, working at one of the nation's largest museums has also deepened her appreciation for the education she received at UNI.

As a history student, Ebersole gained hands-on experience through public history coursework and museum internships that challenged her to think critically about how history is researched, interpreted and shared with the public. Rather than focusing only on historical content, her classes emphasized communicating history responsibly while engaging audiences with different backgrounds, interests and learning styles.

Jennifer McNabb, professor and head of UNI's Department of History, said that's exactly what the department hopes students gain through experiences both in and beyond the classroom.

"Internships offer students the opportunity to apply what they've learned in their coursework in a practical, applied way that gives them real-world professional experience," McNabb said. "Seeing Ivana and other history alumni thrive in nationally recognized institutions affirms that our program prepares them well for the next step of their professional journey."

"I think my experience at UNI definitely helped me feel prepared for the internship," Ebersole said. "I'm there to learn, and I am learning a lot, but I don't feel crazily out of my depth."

That confidence has allowed her to embrace opportunities beyond her primary project. She has observed exhibit planning meetings, learned how specialists from multiple disciplines collaborate throughout the design process and explored visitor engagement strategies that help museums connect with diverse audiences.

One concept that especially resonated was the Smithsonian's IPOP framework, which encourages exhibit designers to think about how visitors connect through ideas, people, objects and physical experiences. The experience reinforced something she first learned at UNI: great museums don't simply present information — they create meaningful experiences that invite people to engage with history in different ways.

The internship has also helped Ebersole clarify what she wants in her own career.

Having experienced both the close-knit environment of a university museum and the extensive specialization of the Smithsonian, she now has a better understanding of the kind of institution where she'd like to build her future.

"I've kind of seen the whole spectrum of museum sizes," she said. "I think I probably want to be somewhere in the middle."

For UNI history students, that's exactly what internships are designed to do. They leave the classroom and their academic major with a strong foundation in historical thinking and public history, then use professional experiences to discover where they can make the greatest impact.

For Ebersole, that journey has taken her from UNI to the Smithsonian. More importantly, it has given her the confidence to know she belongs in the museum profession and a clearer vision for where she'd like to build her career.