UHAA NCRC INTERN PROGRAM

2007

Kamanaokakuhihe (Kamana) Seymour

Participation year: 2007

Sponsor: NCRC/FONG

Program: National Museum of American History

Kamana Seymour was an intern at the National Museum of American History and was assigned to do research on a part of the CIGNA (Insurance Company of North America) collection of volunteer firefighting equipment and artifacts. He chose to research historic fire engines starting with 18th century hand pump spray tubs and ending with a 1922 Ahrens-Fox, covering along the way the evolution of side-stoke, end-stoke, double-deck, and Piano-box hand-pumpers and the makers of these vehicles, as well as the evolution of steam powered fire engines.  Kamana felt he was able to use his education and skills thus far in the work that he performed.  His research and writings on the fire engines have been put in a data base at the museum and will be uploaded to a research and informational web page at a later date. Kamana was grateful for a good supervisor, an exciting project and especially glad that he was able to work at a place where he walked across the National Mall everyday and saw the Washington Monument and Capitol Hill on his travels between the museum and the Metro station.

Professional Activities:  At the time of his internship, Kamana was a senior in American Studies minoring in Geography and he intends to graduate in May with a BA degree.  He will be applying to grad school at UH Manoa to gain a certificate in Historic Preservation and explore the possibility of studying toward a Masters Degree in Urban & Regional Planning, possibly at UH Manoa or in the metropolitan Washington DC region.

Vaneza Lyn Agustin

Participation year: 2007

Sponsor: SOGI

Program: Smithsonian Institute, Asian Pacific American Program

Vaneza Lyn Agustin interned with the Smithsonian's Asian Pacific American Program (APAP) and had the chance to work with Dr. Franklin Odo, the little staff the program has, and other interns from different Universities. While in the APAP, she had the opportunity to help do research on promoting and launching a new project dealing with Southeast Asian Americans called “Homespun: Made in America.” Agustin also helped along with the other interns in coordinating and volunteering for events such as the annual Smithsonian Institute (SI) Teacher's Night and Southeast Asian Film Festival. But the highlight of the fellowship was when she and the other interns became part of the process of creating a space in the Library of Congress for the Asian American Collections. Agustin did one research on how affirmative action benefits Asian Americans and another research on how and what types of projects the SI APAP has come up with. Aside from the APAP, she and the other interns were given the opportunity to attend fundraisers and social gatherings from other Asian American organizations in the DC area. Through the fundraising events, seminars, and lectures, she was able to learn more about the various types of topics that would have never been covered in a classroom. Agustin realized the importance of networking while in DC and learned that there are many diverse Asian American organizations that all work together to help promote each other's goals. Her time spent in the office and outside with Dr. Odo and his staff were priceless experiences she was glad to have gone through. This experience taught her about determination and passion to help promote the things you believe in and live for and for this she will be ever grateful. Having spent one college semester in the Smithsonian's APAP gave Agustin great pleasure in knowing that she was given the opportunity to be part of something that will help shape the future of our Asian American community.

Professional Activities: After completing the internship, Agustin still has two more years of school left at the University and upon graduation she hope to be part of the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program for a couple of years and then move back to the east coast to attend law school.

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