Student Spotlight: Meet Jill

About Jill

Jill is a curator, writer, and educator based in Denton and working in Dallas. She serves as a Gallery Assistant at 12.26 and as a member of the Visitor Services team at Dallas Contemporary. In 2024, she founded a backyard project space called the Shed Show, where she hosts exhibitions, performances, and events highlighting student, emerging, and local artists. She earned a master’s degree in art education with a certification in art museum education in May 2025, as well as bachelor’s degrees in art history and philosophy in 2023, all from the University of North Texas.

Describe the company you interned with; what was your role during your time there?

I completed an unpaid internship with Dallas Contemporary (DC) during the 2024/2025 academic school year. My role was hybrid and slightly unconventional. I worked at DC as a Visitor Services team member, a role I had prior to the internship and still hold and simultaneously fulfilled intern tasks aligned with educational directives. Duties and assignments ranged from developing and leading comprehensive tours of exhibitions on display to writing lesson plans, attending press previews, and serving as a liaison between the museum and local artists to program workshops for museum members.

Share your internship process: What worked? What didn’t work? What were the steps that led to opportunity?

The internship with DC was not as typical as others, but this is how I secured it. Before deciding on DC, I was very close to accepting an unpaid internship at a private collection. Still, I turned it down due to the excessive workload without pay. I knew I would still need to work my two part-time jobs to achieve financial stability, but I also needed the internship to graduate. That original opportunity with the private collection only came about because I asked the institution if they'd have me as an intern, and they said yes. Furthermore, I had previous work experience with the institution, maintained a good standing with their staff, and was familiar with the breadth of their collection. I worked with a staff member within the collection to design an intern role that would fulfill academic credits and expand my educational and professional experience. While I passed on that opportunity, I took the momentum of practically creating an intern role for myself and directed it to my own workplace at DC. I spoke with my manager and the director of the museum to request permission to undertake additional work to support our educational initiatives and receive academic credit as compensation, and they agreed.

Did the Career Center or your Career Coach provide you with resources for obtaining this internship?

The CVAD Career Coach has been a tremendous help to me during my time at UNT and remains a close contact even after my graduation. She is the co-founder of an annual art crawl that hosts a variety of creative spaces in Denton. She is one of the people who inspired me to start my own project space, offered me my first-ever speaking position on a panel, assisted me in application processes, and remains in my corner as a friend and mentor.

What is the most important thing you’ve learned or realized during this internship?

Communication is the key to success, but it is a skill that requires years of experience to hone. I am still trying to understand how to be an effective and efficient communicator, but the good thing is I've got the rest of my life to listen and learn. Furthermore, there are levels to communication; there is no one universal type or method of talking or engaging in dialogue, and it varies from person to person. Interpersonal communication is challenging, time-sensitive, and requires energy; however, when done successfully, it can help everything run smoothly. Communicating your needs takes bravery and vulnerability, but it can save you from stressful challenges that may go unspoken if left unaddressed. Written communication can help you advance professionally, especially if you know how to draft up a good email and understand basic administrative tasks.

Did your passions or goals change since you completed your internship, and if so, how?

My passions and goals have remained constant before, during, and after the internship period. I have an unyielding and hard-headed approach to working in the art industry. If the opportunity isn't there, I'll try to make it up. I created a project space in my backyard shed without anyone permitting me to do so. I have a fiery desire to expand my presence in the art industry as a curator, writer, and educator. I don't just wear one hat; I juggle many. My interdisciplinary spirit enhances my skill set, enabling me to adapt to diverse positions and environments.

Please share any advice you’d give to others searching for an internship.

As I mentioned above, there was an unorthodox nature to obtaining my internship with DC, but the story of how I got there is full of lessons that could help others on similar journeys. The main lesson I took away from the experience and what I want to share with others is a lesson in communication, confidence, and bravery. As individuals searching for opportunities, especially in the art industry, we must step out of our comfort zones to grow and expand beyond the familiar. This means we ought to enter physical spaces, whether that be a gallery, museum, collection, pop-up exhibition, project space, or studio. We must engage with the people involved, whether they are directors, visitor services staff, gallery attendants, assistants, artists, or strangers. I wish my advice were something other than networking, but it truly is the most fruitful endeavor to bring opportunity your way. Every position I've ever received in the art industry has been through a friend I've made or a conversation I had with a person in charge. Engaging in dialogue in these creative spaces can lead to exciting possibilities that you may not have even imagined for yourself.

What are you up to these days?

I'm pretty busy these days, commuting to Dallas five days a week, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I am young and spry, and I let my energy carry me across I-35 while I listen to pop or house music, sipping on an iced latte. Brat summer will never end for a gal like me. In my free time, I hang out with my fluffy calico kitty, Frances, tidy around my house, and catch up on my favorite podcasts—The Broski Report, The Bald and the Beautiful, So True with Caleb Hearon, The Comment Section with Drew Afualo, Good Hang with Amy Poehler, and Maintenance Phase. I try my best to attend local gallery and museum openings as a way to make connections, check in with friends, and explore the art and culture of the North Texas region. And, I work around the clock, managing the Shed Show, constantly planning future exhibitions, and communicating with a variety of individuals to ensure I put on a good show.