Introducing our 2023 International Exchange Program Interns

Nine interns are headed to Washington, DC, this week for the IEP 2023 Orientation. Their stay will feature meetings with preservation officials, tours of museums and monuments, and time to get to know each other. They will also learn about the U.S. system of historic preservation before they head to their internships around the world.

We are proud to introduce these 9 young heritage professionals:

Guillermo Alfaro

Internship: National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT) and Puerto Rico State Historic Preservation Office in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Guillermo Alfaro is from El Salvador and will intern with the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training and the Puerto Rico State Historic Preservation Office. He has an undergraduate degree in Architecture from the University of Notre Dame, a Master of Architecture in Suburb and Town Planning from the University of Miami, and is currently a candidate for the new Master of Science in Historic Preservation (MSHP) through the School of Architecture at the University of Notre Dame. During his internship, Guillermo will participate in a three-week training program for digital documentation and climate change mitigation before putting those skills into practice while working with the local SHPO Office.

Emilija Armakauskaitė

Internship: National Trust for Historic Preservation in Washington D.C.

Emilija Armakauskaitė is from Lithuania and will intern with the National Trust for Historic Preservation in Washington, D.C. She has an undergraduate degree in Fine Arts and Interior Restoration (Architectural Restoration), a graduate degree in Art Studies, and is a qualified restorer. In Lithuania, she works for the Centre for Cultural Infrastructure in the FIXUS Mobilis Group which works to improve the management of cultural heritage through preventive monitoring and maintenance. During her internship with the National Trust, Emilija will assist with building assessments and oversee preservation work at several National Trust Historic Sites. She is most looking forward to expanding her knowledge of U.S. cultural heritage, visiting protected sites, and learning new best practices for building management and conservation.

Monika Chojnacki

Internship: Centre for Cultural Infrastructure, in the FIXUS Mobilis Group in Vilnius, Lithuania

Monika Chojnacki is a recent transplant to Chicago having grown up in central Massachusetts, and this summer she will intern with the Centre for Cultural Infrastructure’s FIXUS Mobilis Group in Vilnius, Lithuania. She has an undergraduate degree in Architecture from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, and recently graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago with a Master of Science in Historic Preservation. During her internship, Monika will assist mobile preservation units with building documentation, diagnostics, and repair. She is most looking forward to getting to know a new country through its historic architecture and forming new friendships with her colleagues and community.

Schola Eburuoh

Internship: Vasaamah Architects in Hyderabad, India

Schola Eburuoh is a Nigerian-American designer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and this summer she will intern with Vasaamah Architects in Hyderabad, India. She has an undergraduate degree in Architecture from the Catholic University of America and is currently a second-year student at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design where she is pursuing a Master’s in Design Studies within the Publics domain. During her internship, Schola will assist with an awareness-raising and restoration project aimed at reconnecting the city’s Hashmat Gunj Gate to the Former British Residency complex. She is most looking forward to learning from the community in Hyderabad while researching and visualizing ways to preserve the unique history of the chosen sites.

Anton Petrukhin

Internship: National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT) and Puerto Rico State Historic Preservation Office in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Anton Petrukhin is from Belarus and will intern with the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training and the Puerto Rico State Historic Preservation Office. He has undergraduate degrees in Architecture and Architectural Engineering and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in World Heritage Studies at the Brandenburg University of Technology in Cottbus, Germany. During his internship, Anton will participate in a three-week training program for digital documentation and climate change mitigation before putting those skills into practice while working with the local SHPO Office. He is most looking forward to working in a new historic and geographic context, meeting other program participants, and experiencing the remarkable cultural and natural landscape of Puerto Rico.

Maryam Shah

Internship: City of San Antonio World Heritage Office in San Antonio, Texas

Maryam Shah is from Pakistan and will intern with the City of San Antonio World Heritage Office in Texas. She has an undergraduate degree in Architecture, a graduate degree in Cultural Heritage Studies from the Central European University in Vienna, Austria, and she currently works as a heritage consultant in addition to teaching courses in research methods at the National University of Sciences and Technology in Islamabad, Pakistan. During her internship, Maryam will analyze the community engagement and maintenance challenges of historic motels that lie within the Buffer Zone of the San Antonio Missions World Heritage Site, and will help reimagine their potential within the World Heritage Context.

Niloofar Soleymani

Internship: City of San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation in San Antonio, Texas

Niloofar Soleymani is from Iran and will intern with the City of San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation in Texas. She has an undergraduate degree in the Conservation of Historic Buildings and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in World Heritage Studies at the Brandenburg University of Technology in Cottbus, Germany. During her internship, Niloofar will help expand the reach of San Antonio’s Local Makers Program through documentation, communication, and community engagement. She is most looking forward to learning how professionals cope with new theories and approaches toward Heritage Making at historic sites, working with colleagues from all over the world, and exploring the culture of San Antonio by learning about its history and interacting with locals.

Brannon Smithwick

Internship: Kosovo Council for Cultural Heritage in Pristina, Kosovo

Brannon Smithwick is originally from Tennessee but is currently based in California, and this summer she will intern with the Kosovo Council of Cultural Heritage in Pristina, Kosovo. She has an undergraduate degree in Visual and Media Arts Production, and recently graduated from the University of Southern California with dual Master’s degrees in Heritage Conservation from the USC School of Architecture and Urban Planning from USC’s Sol Price School of Public Policy. During her internship, Brannon will provide professional support to the Kosovo Council for Cultural Heritage during the architectural re-evaluation and revision of over 122 assets of different heritage categories in the historic center of Prizren. She is most looking forward to learning about heritage planning practices and standards abroad, and helping the team formulate intervention strategies to protect important heritage assets, many of which are over seven centuries old.

Vanille Vardon

Internship: San Antonio Missions National Historical Park in San Antonio, Texas

Vanille Vardon is from France and will intern at the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. She has an undergraduate degree in Comparative Literature and recently earned her Master’s in World Heritage Studies from the University of Birmingham in England. During her internship, Vanille will assist with the digitization and archiving of the key documentation related to the protection and preservation of San Antonio Missions National Historical Park and the San Antonio Missions World Heritage Site. She is most looking forward to playing a role in this important work, discovering the daily tasks and challenges of running a heritage site, and learning from its management and stakeholder engagement.

Previous Post
Help Support Fernanda Maes’ Presentation at the 21st General Assembly
Next Post
Chaco Culture World Heritage Site Landscape Gains Temporary Protection