Hannah M. Borrego

Participation year: 2009

Sponsor: SOGI

Program: Smithsonian Institute, Asian Pacific American Program

During the fall of 2009, Hannah Borrego joined the Asian Pacific American Program at the Smithsonian in Washington DC as the University of Hawaii’s Sogi Scholarship Recipient. Under the leadership of Dr. Franklin Odo, she witnessed first hand a team of passionate and hard-working individuals take on the responsibility of representing Asian Pacific Americans for the Smithsonian.

Throughout the fall semester, Hannah worked primarily on issues involving Hawaiian Native land rights, and more specifically with the Akaka Bill. Conducting research and interviews, her main purpose was to fully understand and discuss the newly instated goals of the Akaka Bill, what it means for the people of Hawaii now, and what it could mean for their future. Additionally, her research attempted to organize and evaluate Hawaii’s complicated and controversial history, as well as present-day conflicts, in order to better predict the possible outcomes of such a Bill. In the end, she developed a greater appreciation and knowledge for the struggle for Native rights and political recognition.　

Professional Activities: Hannah is currently finishing her final semester, and will be receiving a degree in Ethnic Studies from UHM this May. She plans on working with the Smithsonian’s Arctic Studies Native Heritage Program in Alaska, upon graduation. Future plans include graduate school and pursuing photojournalistic work.

　

Carmen U. Delos Reyes

Participation year: 2008

Sponsor: NCRC/FONG

Program: National Museum of American History

Carmen Delos Reyes was a curatorial intern at the National Museum of American History. She interned under Paul Johnston, curator in the Maritime Division. As an American History major with an interest in museum studies she was exposed to the background scenes of museum work. Her main project involved researching information about ships and creating web descriptions of these ships, in addition to cleaning the exhibits to prepare for reopening. She also participated in weekly meetings regarding the creation of a new Maritime exhibit to be displayed in May 2009. Delos Reyes felt that it was an exciting semester to be an intern at the museum because the museum reopened, after having been closed for two and a half years, on November 21, 2008. As an intern, she met many other interns from around the world and built lasting friendships. She believed that the internship was an invaluable experience.

Professional Activities:　 After this internship, Carmen has one more semester at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, in which she will graduate with her BA in history. After graduation Carmen plans to attend graduate school in American Studies at the University Hawaii at Manoa.

　

Whitney Hoehn

Participation year: 2008

Sponsor: NCRC/FONG

Program: National Museum of Natural History

Whitney Hoehn served her internship doing guided research with Botany curator, Dr. Elizabeth Zimmer at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (NMNH). Aside from the museum itself, the NMNH has a large laboratory facility where leading research is conducted in many areas. She worked on a project that examined the evolutionary relationships within a group of Hawaiian plants (a genus called Remya). “In order to infer ancestral relationships between the plants, I needed to sequence a variety of different genes in Remya species and in some of their supposed relatives that belong to other plant groups. I obtained DNA from each of the species and used molecular techniques to produce gene sequences for each plant. By comparing genetic differences between each species, a hypothesis can be produced for their evolutionary history. My work here was extremely valuable. I learned a great deal about molecular genetics from some of the top people in the field. I generated publishable research, and learned skills that are necessary for the graduate studies that I propose to do,” offers Hoehn. She was truly grateful for her experience in DC and would highly encourage other Hawaii students to go for it! It is a great city, with loads of opportunity, and this scholarship and UH alumni group provide the groundwork for students to take full advantage of the semester experience.

Professional Activities: After completing her internship in Washington DC, Whitney returned to UH Manoa for her last semester to graduate in May 2009. After taking a year off, she hopes to get a position as a lab tech to continue her molecular work and gain more experience. She is also researching graduate schools and possible advisors for admission in Fall 2010. Whitney recently received the $1,000 Isabella Aiona Abbott award for undergraduate research in Hawaiian plants this month and will use this grant to finish her Remya project started at the National Museum of Natural History.

　

　

Faith McCauley

Participation Year: 2008

Sponsor: SOGI

Program: Smithsonian Institute, Asian Pacific American Program

Under the supervision of Dr. Franklin Odo, director of the Smithsonian’s Asian Pacific American Program, Faith MaCauley researched the multifarious topics influencing Asian America. Through assisting in the APAP’s various community programs, meeting influential leaders of the Asian American community, volunteering at local fundraisers and galas, and accessing the plentiful media, library, and museum resources available through the Smithsonian Institution, Faith developed a knowledge and appreciation of the developing Asian American identity and purpose. Her educational experience resulted in a final paper exploring the quandaries and possible solutions for a growing yet troubled Asian America, as well as translation work on original documents from Chinese American immigrants of the early 20th Century to contribute to the National Museum of American History.

Professional Activities: Faith will return to the University of Hawai’i for three more semesters before completing her undergraduate degrees in Asian Studies and English. She plans to teach English abroad for two years before applying for graduate or law school.

　

Janelle Takesono

Participation year: 2009

Sponsor: NCRC

Program: National Museum of American History

Janelle Takesono was an intern at the National Museum of American History.　 Under the supervision of Katherine Ott, a curator in the Division of Medicine and Science, Janelle was exposed to myriad facets of curatorial work.　 Currently, Dr. Ott is working on two projects, an exhibit on skin and its role in culture and a traveling exhibit on the history of disabilities.　 Janelle’s main project involved analyzing the history of skin pigment perceptions among Asian Americans and assisting in the collection of related artifacts.　 She also contributed research on Autism for the traveling exhibit and attended project development meetings.　 One of her favorite experiences was co-writing a grant to raise funds for the exhibit on skin.　 Meeting other interns, while living and working in an area like DC, was an amazing experience.　 She is grateful to have had this opportunity and would highly recommend it to others.

Professional Activities: After the internship experience in DC, Janelle plans to return to the University of Hawaii to complete her bachelor degrees in English Literature and American History.　 She plans to continue on to graduate school, where she hopes to continue her research on Asian American perceptions in history and/or literature.

　

Alicia Yanagihara

Participation year: 2009

Sponsor: Fong

Program: National Museum of American History

Alicia Yanagihara was an intern under Karen Lee, Project Specialist in the National Numismatics Collection (NNC) at the National Museum of American History (NMAH).  She assisted the NNC by learning and inputting data into the cataloging system database, MIMSY, which the Smithsonian Institute uses in keeping track of all items in possession of NMAH.  One of the main projects she had was to accession a group of objects donated to the NNC by the daughter of Frank Gasparro, the 10th chief engraver of the U.S. Mint.  Through assisting the project specialist of the collection, Yanagihara was able to see the way in which a museum is run and was in contact with a multitude of various departments that comprise the museum.  She also met and assisted various top numismatic professionals that have come to study from our extensive money and medals collections. Alicia has really enjoyed this past semester and felt she developed professional working skills while interning at this prestigious institute, as well as gathered a better idea of the various jobs that are available while working at a museum. 

Professional Activities: After this internship, Alicia has three more semesters until she graduates from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa with a BA in History and a minor in Art History.  She will soon start applying for graduate schools to get a MA in Museum Studies or Art History.