Living History at the Villa Philmonté
July 30, 2026
National Intern Day Spotlight
National Intern Day is dedicated to recognizing, celebrating, and thanking the hardworking interns who contribute to the workforce
Meet Ashleigh
For Ashleigh Coleman, this summer has meant trading her apartment for a tent in the woods of New Mexico.
A senior pursuing dual degrees in Anthropology and Art History, Ashleigh is spending her summer as a museum intern at the historic Villa Philmonté, part of Philmont Scout Ranch. It is the kind of hands-on, history-rich internship she had been hoping to find, and it has already taught her more than she expected about historic preservation, public speaking, and her own resilience.
A Day in the Life
Ashleigh's summer looks nothing like her regular semester at LSU. She lives and works on the property, waking up in her tent each morning, grabbing breakfast at the dining hall, and heading to the villa to start her day.
Every morning begins with an 8 a.m. group meeting, where the team runs through expectations for the day and any upcoming events. From there, the villa opens its doors, and the tours begin. Each guide leads two to three tours a day, each about an hour long.
When Ashleigh isn't leading a tour, she's cleaning. It's not the part of museum work most people picture, but she has come to see it as one of the most important.
"The more dust we allow to pile up, the faster our artifacts deteriorate," Ashleigh said.
It's a lesson she didn't anticipate walking in. "I've been surprised by just how much cleaning goes into maintaining a historic home," she said. "There are new techniques I have to use when cleaning to preserve the artifacts. It makes complete sense, it's just something I hadn't thought of."
Bringing Her Own Skills to the Project
Beyond leading tours, Ashleigh has taken on a special project: creating a guidebook for the villa so visitors who cannot make the trip in person can still experience what it has to offer.
The project has given her a chance to put skills from her LSU campus job to work in a completely new setting. The Adobe skills she developed there have come in handy throughout the process, along with instincts she first built even earlier, on her high school yearbook committee.
"You never know what skills will become important in your career," Ashleigh said.
Working in a small museum has also meant learning to wear a lot of different hats. Ashleigh collaborates closely with the ranch's other intern, along with the head curator and assistant curator, and has found that flexibility and support go a long way when a small team is responsible for keeping a historic home running.
Finding Her Voice
If there is one skill Ashleigh feels she has grown the most this summer, it's public speaking.
Every day, she stands in front of large groups of strangers and has about an hour to bring the villa's history to life. Along the way, she has picked up crowd management skills and learned how to read a room and adjust on the fly.
"If I have a tour of primarily young children, I'm going to give them a different tour than the tour I'd give to a group of adults," Ashleigh said. "It's important to know your audience."
Guiding groups of all kinds, day after day, has made her far more comfortable speaking to, and directing, people for extended periods of time.
Taking the Leap
Living in the woods for two months was not something that came naturally to Ashleigh. By her own account, she isn't typically an outdoorsy person, which made the decision to apply for this internship feel risky.
"I was kind of nervous to live in the woods for two months this summer, but this journey has taught me about my own perseverance," she said.
Looking back, she describes the summer in three words: eye-opening, rewarding, edifying.
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Advice for Future Interns
Ashleigh's biggest piece of advice to fellow LSU students is simple: take the risk.
"Taking a risk and going for an internship is one of the best things they could do," she said. "Not only will your internship teach you valuable skills for your career path, but it will also teach you about your strength."
Her advice for anyone on the fence about applying is just as direct.
"Apply for the internship, even if you don't feel ready," Ashleigh said. "College
is the time to explore your interests, career paths, and potential. This is the best
time to figure out what you can do, so take the leap! You never know what you'll learn."
About the LSU Career Center
Our team is committed to ensuring every student has ample opportunities to gain experience, grow their network, and communicate their aptitude for a chosen career long before graduation. We believe LSU students are unparalleled in their potential to step into leadership, solve problems, and elevate the workforce for the benefit of all.