Alumni Feature: Krishna Aniel
2006; B.A. Humanities (History Emphasis)
I am the Community Services Specialist (Internship/ Fellowship Coordinator) at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI). We have virtual, onsite, and hybrid interns and fellows based at the museum on the National Mall in Washington, DC; at the Cultural Resources Center in Suitland, MD; and at NMAI's George Gustav Heye Center Museum in New York, NY.
I graduated from BYU in April 2006, and did an unpaid internship at the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center (APAC) in Fall 2006. My family heritage is from the Philippines, and I assisted with public programs for the Filipino American Centennial Commemoration that year. I was fortunate that APAC created a full-time position for me after my internship. In addition, I completed the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (American Studies concentration) at Georgetown University. I went to graduate school part-time in the evenings and graduated in May 2009. I was able to transfer to the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, a Smithsonian affiliated research center in June 2009. I worked there as the Education Program Specialist, managing two large internship programs and one fellowship program until October 2018. Then, I transferred to the National Museum of the American Indian in October 2018. My internship at APAC was significant and helped launch my career at the Smithsonian. I went from a small education and outreach unit; to a mid-sized research center; and then to a museum with three facilities.
"Studying Humanities at BYU gave me a strong interdisciplinary education in history, art, and culture. I am able to utilize my research and writing skills in my job on a daily basis."
Studying Humanities at BYU gave me a strong interdisciplinary education in history, art, and culture. I am able to utilize my research and writing skills in my job on a daily basis.
I was late in the game and wish I did an internship during my undergraduate years or participated in BYU's Washington Seminar. There are several internship and job opportunities in the museums, libraries, and archives fields.
My twin sister Krista Aniel Duncan also graduated from BYU in 2006, with a degree in Humanities (English emphasis). Krista has also moved around in the Smithsonian and is currently the Administrative Program Specialist (Procurement and Finance Officer) at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. We grew up in Jacksonville, FL and our parents first brought us to the Smithsonian museums when we were eleven years old during a summer vacation. Little did we know that we would both end up having careers at the Smithsonian.