Internship Opportunities in Florence and at SRISA

During spring 2019 I had the chance to attend a semester at SRISA. My time there was extremely fulfilling, as I didn’t just enjoy the classes that I took, but I also applied for the internship program and was assigned an internship within my field of studies. My major is media arts, so I was looking for something video, sound, or animation related. SRISA found me an internship with ArtViva, a company that does walking tours around Florence and Italy. I helped them with their videos, social media, image editing, and website interface. I enjoyed my time there very much, as I was around a team of very young people, with whom I could interact and exchange ideas. The director, Rose Magers, has always treated me respectfully, and given me responsibilities that I could take over. After the semester I was hired by the company and am still working with them now. I overall enjoyed my experience there, and would recommend applying to the internship program with SRISA, as the school was always willing to help if I had any question or if I needed assistance.

I had an internship with Baby Bottega. Baby Bottega is a child focused design store. I worked with the owner Daisy Diaz and we built a very strong working bond together! Through this internship I learned a lot about myself as it comes to my career goals and the differences of the Italian design realm versus American. With her I worked on designs for playrooms, client projects, and the expansion of her new store Junior Bottega. I am leaving this experience a better professional individual when it comes to abroad relations and this will certainly be an experience I will never forget. Thank you SRISA and thank you Baby Bottega!

During my second semester at SRISA in Florence, I was fortunate enough to complete an internship as part of my course load, with a local artisan. For three months, I worked with Joy Franklin of A Thousand Joys in her studio across the Arno River in the artisan district of Florence. While I'm not a jeweler (nor did I know anything of the craft going in), I learned so much and was able to contribute a lot to Joy's business with my own skillset of marketing, photography, graphic design, and videography. I can't imagine having an opportunity to work with a local artisan with a studio inside a historic goldsmith building anywhere else but Florence because there is such a thriving market for handmade, handcrafted wares that you can't find in many other places. It has been a pleasure working in an artisan studio that has encouraged and helped foster my skills while providing me with a glimpse into a totally new artistic realm! And besides, it sounds insanely cool to say, "Yeah, I interned with a jewelry maker in Florence, Italy."

From the very outset I felt completely welcomed, and I was encouraged to feel like a valued member of the SRISA family. Staff, faculty and students alike were all very interesting, and the creative atmosphere helped me to feel at ease and at home in Florence. There was an array of activities for me to participate in, making no two days the same, with a fruitful variety of intriguing outcomes to meet (and wonderful lunches to eat). SRISA kept me occupied and engaged during the days, and through living very close by, I was also afforded the opportunity to explore the rich tapestry of art, history, nightlife and culture pulsing through this majestic and enchanting city on the evening and weekends. The food was a blessing and I developed a healthy appetite for Gelato. My stay however, was short and sweet, and after two months, I left my colleagues feeling gateways in to new opportunities had opened, with new friends and a city in my heart, knowing I am always welcomed back to this wonderful network.

As the semester comes to an end, it is time to say, “until we meet again” to some of the things that I enjoyed the most during my last 6 months in Italy. I truly enjoyed my experience as a SRISA student, met lots of amazing people that now I call my friends, and learned so much about art in Italy. But what I enjoyed the most was having the opportunity to be an intern for the SRISA art gallery. Being the gallery’s intern was an enlightening and fun experience that I will cherish forever! This experience taught me many practical skills, that I am sure will serve me for my career within the arts. I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE SRISA.

I had the lucky opportunity of being a Photojournalism Intern here at SRISA in Florence, Italy. I also enjoy midnight strolls along the Arno with a gelato in hand, and rarely say no to free samples. My experience as SRISA's campus photographer was an enlightening one. I was encouraged to get out of my comfort zone as both a photographer and as a team leader. I realized the value of teamwork while overseeing 6 other interns and even got the chance to work alongside some of them as a model in the Student Show. Overall, my experience at SRISA was life-changing and I wouldn't trade it for the world. The people, the work, the art, (but mostly the people) all hold a special place in my heart. All of this made the Spring semester of 2017 here at SRISA truly unforgettable.