UTEP Student Selected for Prestigious Internship at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Originally published May 18, 2016

By Kyle Alvarado

UTEP Communications

Sophomore art history major Paloma Vianey Martinez, who prefers to go by Paloma Vianey, is headed to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City for a prestigious summer internship.

Vianey is one of eight students selected for the Met Cloisters Summer Internship, a nine-week, paid internship at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Paloma Vianey Martinez was selected for a summer internship with the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. Photo by J.R. Hernandez / UTEP Communications
Paloma Vianey Martinez was selected for a summer internship with the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. Photo by J.R. Hernandez / UTEP Communications

She will work in the Education Office of The Met Cloisters, a branch of the museum that specializes in the art of medieval Europe.

“I was researching opportunities in my field and wanted to aim high,” Vianey said. “(The Met internship) was one of the most challenging ones, but that didn’t stop me.”

Vianey, who travels across the U.S.-Mexico border to get to her classes each day, said the internship is an experience of a lifetime, even if the process to secure it was daunting.

With more than 200 students vying for eight slots, Vianey was one of 35 selected for interviews.

“It was a hard application – they asked for a lot. A month and a half after applying, I traveled to New York for an interview. We had no money, but I made it there,” she said.

Of the eight students selected for the internship, Vianey is the only one from a public university.

“I’m proud to represent UTEP in such a prestigious and competitive internship,” she said. “I was terrified at first … but I realized there’s nothing to be afraid of – they picked me for a reason.”

Assistant Professor of Art History Max Grossman, Ph.D., is proud to see the University represented at an internationally recognized institution.

“The Department of Art at UTEP offers courses in art history, studio art and art education that are of the highest quality, and it has an excellent record of preparing students for competitive internships throughout North America,” Grossman said.

“There is no substitute for engaging world-class artworks directly rather than viewing them in textbooks or in PowerPoint presentations,” Grossman said. “At the Met, Paloma will view, firsthand, some of the most significant artistic masterpieces in the world and she will learn about the inner workings of one of America’s most prestigious cultural institutions.”

On the cusp of more studio art courses in the fall, Vianey expects the internship will help her grow not only as a painter, but a burgeoning art historian.

“My experience comes from being a visual artist,” she said. “The internship will be a great addition to my curriculum as an art historian. Learning art history helps me become a better artist. At The Met, I will learn about the great works of art and I will be surrounded by inspiration from the most prominent artists of all time.”