By Janet Hewitt, Guest Blogger
When Smithsonian Associates slipped out of the confines of physical classrooms last year due to Covid, a lot of things had to change. That change became transformative. It included re-visioning the job description for volunteers. Suddenly, it became more important to know your way around Zoom than around Ripley.
So what makes for good Associates volunteers in today’s brave new world?
I would say (and this is just me speaking) if you have more than a passing interest in black holes, Leonardo da Vinci, the Beat Generation, Egypt’s Middle Kingdom or watercolor painting, you are probably in the running. Remote volunteering was made for intellectually curious people like you.
When you think about it, remote volunteering for Associates is kind of like everyone’s dream job. There’s no commute. Your office is wherever you park your laptop. Your colleagues are the most creative people on the planet. And you would easily pay, for what they are letting you do for free.
And lucky for you, Jenna Jones, Volunteer Coordinator, is currently recruiting for remote volunteers who assist with live streamed programs.
A new training class is set to begin in September. And with a few hours of training, you can master Zoom and set off on your journey of exploration. So for all of you life-long learners out there, start your engines, please.
Fans of Smithsonian Associates already know about its vast program offerings. If you like art history, archeology, architecture, science, popular culture, food, travel, world history, studio arts, you name it, this opportunity has got your name written all over it. I know, because I love all of the above, and have enjoyed many of these classes. (Especially Art-full Fridays with Elaine Ruffalo, who comes to you live from Tuscany. If you ever wanted to go back in time and live in Renaissance Italy, Elaine will help you time-travel back. It’s like dying and going to heaven, seriously.)
But for those who may prefer living in the present (not sure why, but it takes all kinds), Jen Psaki, the current White House press secretary, is featured in an upcoming program. Who wouldn’t want to pretend they are part of the White House press corps just for one evening? (More than that might get a bit nerve wracking.)
For those not yet part of Associates’ extended family, volunteers are not some pool of faceless free labor. At Smithsonian Associates, volunteers are recognized and appreciated. From Jenna, to Marybeth Kelley, Director of Programs, Smithsonian Associates, there is deep appreciation for what remote volunteers have done to keep the programs running. “Virtual volunteers are essential to our work at the Associates,” Marybeth said.
And in terms of the qualities that SA is looking for in its volunteer recruits, Marybeth says, “We value willingness to learn, flexibility, curiosity, commitment, and a positive professional outlook.”
So, to get a perspective from the front lines, we talked to two current volunteers, Irina Geiman and Jodi Wittlin. Both have worked on SA virtual programs for about a year. We asked what technical skills are needed and what they would tell new candidates interested in signing up.
As it happens, both Irina and Jodi are based in the DC area, but remote volunteers hail from Maine to Florida, from Tennessee to Texas and beyond. (See recent V-blog story on remote volunteers from different states.)
On a scale of 1-10, we asked Irina and Jodi to rate how rewarding the experience has been. We discovered they both have a sense of humor.
Irina said, “It’s pretty high up there, although fostering feisty senior kitties probably takes the top spot in my volunteering activities.”
Jodi added: “Hmmm, this is a hard one—I mean, I don’t think it’s fair to rank this relative to how rewarding it was to finally finish grad school, or even when I finally finished my first knit shawl.” But she gave it a high grade anyway.
In terms of technical skills, they both had some experience with Zoom before becoming remote volunteers.
During the pandemic, Irina’s full-time job quickly transitioned to a remote environment. “I ended up learning how to host and manage meetings on several platforms, which was tremendously helpful in performing remote volunteer duties with Smithsonian Associates,” she said. Irina added that among the most essential qualities for SA remote volunteers is “being flexible and patient.”
As for what to expect, she says, “Even with the best intentions, practice, and planning, sometimes virtual lectures get silly glitches. Maybe a panelist or volunteer loses their Internet connection, a presentation doesn’t play correctly, or guests save all the most interesting questions for the end [of the program].” Even with all of that, she said, “I haven’t seen any major problems yet.”
Irina enjoys science and technology-based topics. One of her favorite assignments to date has been “Searching for Life on Mars.” She put into words what attracted her to remote volunteering: “Being a Smithsonian Associates volunteer allows access to a slew of lecture topics that I may not have considered before. I get to attend fascinating lectures and help out at the same time.”
Jodi has been comfortable using computers for a long time. By day, she is a research staffer at a federally funded research and development center. She says, “I’m very comfortable not just with Zoom, but with computers in general. Since I already do a lot of remote telecoms and meetings for my full-time job, becoming a remote volunteer was a natural fit for me." What really built up Jodi’s comfort level with Zoom was her “other hobby,” which is teaching a religious school class of 16-plus first graders. Prior to Covid, Jodi had taken some professional development classes on Zoom and then she ended up using Zoom to teach her first graders during the pandemic. She says, “Once you can handle that many little learners on Zoom, it’s a pretty easy transition to handling adults!”
Jodi says recruiting some friends to help you practice your Zoom skills on your own is a good way to get comfortable with the platform. She adds, “It’s important to know that anyone can develop these skills.” Jodi is a self-described scientist and museum lover, and a lifelong learner if there ever was one. When asked about her favorite assignments so far, she said: “Do I have to pick just a few? I’ve had so many great assignments!” By volunteering remotely, she also has been able to complete her core classes for her World Art History Certificate.
Exposure to the Associates' rich program variety--as both volunteer and member--helped Jodi fill out her “travel bucket list.” She learned from Associates courses on UNESCO World Heritage Sites that tourists could actually visit Easter Island. So that’s now on her bucket list for a future vacation. Another UNESCO-focused class inspired her to start planning a trip to Machu Picchu for next year. And Associates classes on Ancient Egypt have prompted her to add a Nile River cruise to what is becoming a long list of desired destinations. Even though her academic background is in physics and she describes herself as a scientist, Jodi has not been ignoring her inner artist. She says her very first exposure to Associates programs came when she took studio arts classes as a member back in the Ripley Building. “I can send you some photos of my many, many baskets,” she happily offers.
In case these reflections haven’t yet convinced you to explore becoming a remote volunteer, just think for a moment about the courses. Where else can you get such an amazing buffet of food for thought than at Smithsonian Associates? Best bring your appetite, because you will definitely get full.
And not to name drop or anything, but let’s take a little spin through the current program guide offerings. This summer, if you’re lucky, and Jenna assigns you to the class, you could be spending time with Napoleon; The Beatles; the Real Queen Charlotte; Jane Austen; The Wyeth Family; Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks; or Harry Potter. Or you could crack open your new art supplies and try your hand at: Book Arts; Woodblock Printing; Adventures in Knitting; Building a Tiny House; The Art of Floral Design; Beginning Drawing; or Botanicals in Watercolor.
But my own personal favorite is Art-full Fridays. This summer Elaine Ruffalo is waiting to take me on a tour of Ravenna and Venice, and introduce me to the Medicis in Florence. (I can’t wait!)
Finally, you will know you are completely hooked when you gladly pay full price for a class that you crave, but haven’t been assigned to. Count me in that category. (Elaine Ruffalo, see what you’ve done to me.)
These are exciting times to become a remote volunteer for Associates live streamed lectures and art classes. Email Jenna Jones to learn more about the position’s duties, tech requirements and time commitment today. Online applications are due by July 31. Zoom interviews will take place August 2 to 27th.
Trainings will be multi sessions and include practice shifts and observing a program in real time. Remote volunteers get their proverbial feet in the door before we reopen for regular programming in the Ripley Center in 2022. Fun times ahead!
when is your September class? Mid September and I still haven't gotten any information?
Posted by: Rachel Colligan | 09/16/2021 at 06:14 AM