South River Grad Lands Out of this World Internship

Every day this summer, South River graduate Alyssa Spagnuolo walks into one of the most popular museums in Washington, DC, and nary a crowd can be found.

That’s because Spagnuolo landed an internship with the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum's health and safety department. She arrives to the museum each morning before the crowds.

“One of my favorite parts is just walking into the building in the morning because it is completely empty,” Spagnuolo said. “It puts you in awe that we are one of the most visited museums, and I actually get to work here.” 

After graduating from South River in 2012, Spagnuolo went onto Elon University in North Carolina to major in international business and finance with a minor in leadership.

When it came to finding a summer internship, Spagnuolo—whose parents both worked for NASA—said the National Air and Space Museum seemed like a natural fit. However, that didn’t mean landing the internship was easy.

Myra Banks-Scott, Educational Outreach and Student Services Manager, said the museum receives almost 400 applications a year—for about 38 spots. 

As an intern in the health and safety department, Spagnuolo recently wrapped up a project on workplace injuries. She said she did statistical research on common injuries in an effort to prevent them in the future.

“I was finding the statistics on how many people got injured and whether it was reportable, what the injury was and then pinpoint how to fix certain areas that needed more help,” Spagnuolo said. “I made a presentation and presented it to the head of the museum.”

As an international business and finance major, Spagnuolo said her internship with the National Air and Space Museum is preparing her for a business career by allowing her to work with multiple organizations. 

“I see more behind the scenes on how the different departments work together to get the departments to work on a whole,” Spagnuolo said, “I am working with different organizations like NASA, the EPA the CDC and FEMA. Looking at their policies helps make your more effective.”