Four Foothill College students have started exciting internships at the museum this year through the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Scholarship in the Humanities Grant. Designed by Foothill-DeAnza Community College District, the grant funds a pathway program partnering with University of San Francisco. Scholarship recipients will complete a humanities certification through Foothill and then transfer for a 4-year degree. Classes run the gamut of compelling subjects from comparative mythology in film and literature to ancient civilizations and culture, to violence and trauma in art, and modern perspectives on religion. This brand-new scholarship program highlights the importance of the humanities perspective in modern education, and a commitment to ushering in the next generation of students in the liberal arts.
Frankie Mires is a first-year at Foothill College, majoring in Biology. Frankie is a Marine Corps veteran, and local Bay Area native, having attended Mountain View High School. Frankie will be focusing on researching the history of the Smith family and the J. Gilbert Smith House, from its conception in 1901 to 1973 when it was passed on to the city of Los Altos.
Jocelyn Lambert is a second-year at Foothill majoring in English. Also a local from Los Altos, she is a former Main Street Singer and graduate of Los Altos High School, planning to transfer to University of San Francisco in the fall. Jocelyn is excited to help with the organization of the scholarly symposium “Negotiating Boundaries: Women of Color in Northern California History,” held at Foothill College March 2nd in partnership with Los Altos History Museum.
Other Mellon scholars joining Frankie and Jocelyn will help with collections and our Museum without Walls project, developing digital interactives between smartphones and the Museum’s website.
By Jocelyn Lambert with additional content from Diane Holcomb.
