Meet Our Interns

Abigail Morgan, Volunteer Coordinator Intern

Internship start date: February 2021

School: Boise State University (graduated December 2020)

Degree: Bachelor of Art, Global Studies

Emphasis: International Relations and Latin American Studies

Abigail is working as an Americorps Member with Our Path Home CONNECT, which helps get those who are experiencing homelessness connected to resources. She recently graduated from Boise State University with a BA in Global Studies emphasizing in international relations and Latin American studies. Abigail has previously worked with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) as an employment specialist and loves volunteering with the City of Boise to promote urban gardening. Her hobbies include doing just about anything outdoors and yoga.

Sarah Melvin, Latin American Affairs Intern

Internship start date: December 2020

School: University of New Mexico | Graduate Studies | enrollment: January 2021

Degree: Master of Arts in Latin American Studies

Emphasis: Peace, Conflict, and Rights

Sarah graduated from Boise State University in December 2019 with her Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies with an emphasis in Latin American Studies and a minor in Spanish. She is very curious about the world around her and feels most fulfilled when creating new relationships with others. Her dedication to building new relationships and intercultural understanding is what led her to study Global Studies and Spanish, and since has committed herself to learning Portuguese in her free time. Throughout her academic studies and travel experience in Latin America, Sarah found herself surprised again and again when her real-life experiences starkly contrasted common stereotypes, political rhetoric, and media pertaining to the region. She will begin Graduate School in January 2021 at the University of New Mexico to study Latin America Studies with an emphasis in Peace, Conflict, and Rights. She is eager to see how her internship with the IMID will expand her passion for cultures, people, and get her more involved in the local community. She hopes to share her passion for Latin America with the world, and challenge “us versus them” thinking.

Mikayla Kinney, Technical Writing Intern

Internship: Fall 2020 and Spring 2021
School: Boise State University (Boise, ID)
Degree: Bachelor of Arts, English, Writing & Rhetoric

Emphasis: Rhetoric & Comp/Communication
Graduation: Spring 2021

During Mikayla’s sophomore year at Boise State, she took an Honors 392 course called “Seeking Opportunity and Refuge,” in which she and her classmates learned about the IMID, and proposed exhibit ideas for the IMID. She and two other honors classmates won the “Best of Honors College Award” at Boise State’s “Undergraduate Research Showcase” during Spring of 2019 and was able to share that accomplishment with the founder, Palina Louangketh, by her side. Mikayla has decided to join the IMID team, independent of Boise State, to help write and edit technical information for the IMID. Mikayla’s desire to learn through storytelling and her desire to share culture has allowed her the confidence to be a part of the IMID team. Throughout college, she has appreciated the community of Boise, Idaho, which made her curious to reach out to the founder about an internship as a “Tech Writer” at the IMID.

Personal Reflection: "Visiting historical and cultural museums has been a source of education for me, ever since I was a young girl; touring various museums in South Georgia and Florida with my grandmother happened each time I visited. Since joining the IMID, I have realized how beautifully unique the Boise, Idaho community is, and am in awe that I have been even a small part of this museum that aims to preserve the culture of the past and present."

Kiana Aros, Interior Design Intern

Internship: Fall 2020 and Spring 2021

School: University of Idaho | College of Art and Architecture (Moscow, ID)

Degree:  

Emphasis:  

Graduation: Spring 2021

Pending.

Sata Vanasouk

Internship: Fall 2019 and Spring 2020

School: Boise State University (Boise, ID)

Degree: Bachelor of Arts, Media Arts

Emphasis: Media Production

Graduation: Spring 2020

Sata’s enjoyment in media arts and production was a perfect match for her internship with the IMID over the course of two semesters. As the IMID rapidly developed over a short period of time, Sata applied her skills and passion in media production to enhance the quality of the IMID’s marketing and promotional contents through the IMID social media platforms – Facebook and Instagram. She was an active participant in the IMID Beyond Borders Team and often initiated ideas and solutions that furthered the messaging of the IMID’s purpose and mission. Sata’s self-driven outreach efforts to her personal network helped to expand the IMID’s visibility among the Lao diasporas in parts of the U.S.

Personal Reflection: "Interning for the IMID has been one of the hallmarks of my college experience, conjoining my two loves for media production and museums. I have gained a deeper appreciation for my community and feel honored to have been a part of something that aims to celebrate it."

Olivia Wargo

Internship: Summer 2019

School: Boise State University (Boise, ID)

Degree: Bachelor of Arts, Global Studies

Graduation: December 2019

Olivia led the effort to fully design and launch both the IMID website (www.idahomid.org) and social media platforms (@idahomid). She specializes in social media marketing and museum outreach in which she manages the IMID social media. During her internship, she independently looked for innovative ways to promote the IMID through digital and photographic marketing. Her photography skills captured fun and colorful still images of a community excited about culture. Olivia helped to promote the IMID's first community outreach activity on-site at the 2019 World Refugee Day in downtown Boise. Born and raised in Idaho, Olivia is excited to be involved in developing the digital aspect of the IMID development and taking part in creating an international legacy for the state she has always called home.

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Personal Reflection: "I am so excited to be a part of IMID and to share my passion and knowledge for global cultures with my local community. I am incredibly grateful and enthusiastic for the opportunity to partake in creating Idaho's international legacy!"

Clara Roth

Internship: Summer 2019
School: Dickinson College (Carlisle, PA)
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Art and Art History Studio Concentration and Environmental Science
Graduation: May 2021

Clara became involved in the IMID while working on its Academic & Research Team (ART) in the Cultural Mapping Initiative (CMI) called Arrivals: What Was Left Behind, What Lies Ahead. She worked as a student researcher alongside her photography Professor from Dickinson College, Andrew Bale. Clara focuses in photography and moving forward she is interested in using conservation photography to compliment a job in the environmental science field. While in Idaho Clara assisted with portraits and other photography, captured drone footage as the ART traveled through Idaho, and recorded interviews. After returning to Pennsylvania Clara’s internship shifted to focus on processing the film, editing images and developing the Arrivals website.

Personal Reflection: “While working with IMID I have been fortunate enough to meet people from all over the world and experience glimpses into their culture. It has been an honor to hear their stories and be able to help share them to a broader audience.”