Student Projects

Over the years, LACC personnel have supervised numerous student internships and projects. This page provides information about these valuable experiences.

Gulf Parallels

Summer 2024

Gulf Parallels: Tracing Migration, Agriculture, and Labor Histories de Ybor a la Habana

During Summer 2024, Bob Graham Center/LACC Intern, Noelle Matthias, conducted research on how Florida’s agricultural and ethnic landscapes, especially Ybor City, have shaped international political realities, linking the state to Cuba's history.

Two bowls of rice mixed with black beans on a textured table cloth.

Summer 2022

Taste of Memory: Rice and Beans Across the Caribbean

During Summer 2022, UF Library intern Daniela Torres, guided by Melissa Jerome, LACC Digital Initiatives Librarian, developed an exhibit on food and culture. Daniela researched cookbooks in UF Libraries' Latin American and Caribbean Collection, focusing on migration stories through food. The exhibit, "Taste of Memory," centered on rice and beans, showcasing cultural variations across the Caribbean. Daniela also created a Zotero bibliography of cookbooks, tagged by country/region for easy filtering.

stamps in the Panama Canal Museum Collection

Spring 2019

Panama Canal Museum Collection Blog

As a Master’s student in the UF Museum Studies Program, Andrea (Summer) Bias completed a practicum in Spring 2019 to gain professional museum experience working with the Panama Canal Museum Collection. Andrea had two primary activities: processing new gifts to the collection and creating posts for the PCMC Blog. In a very short period of time, Andrea had to not only learn how the collection was organized and managed, but she also had to learn about the history of the Panama Canal and Panama. She conducted research in order to create blog posts, and she took the lead in organizing some parts of the collection including materials relating to postal history. Andrea also communicated with community members through the blog, so she gained experience with collection management and with community relations during her paid practicum.

a boat in the Panama Canal

Fall 2016

Between Two Oceans

As a Master’s student in the UF Museum Studies Program, Elizabeth (Liz) Bouton completed a graduate internship working with the Panama Canal Museum Collection. Liz's primary responsibility was to curate an exhibition for the newly opened Nahmad Panama Canal Gallery in the Smathers Library Building. Liz selected themes, researched and selected objects, and wrote labels. The exhibition, Between Two Oceans opened to the public in Spring 2017. During the internship, Liz also had a second responsibility: conducting an assessment of collection materials in an off-campus storage facility. She identified conservation issues and rehoused some materials in more appropriate archival containers.