Studio art major Sophia Sobrino ’25 recently shared her experience working a preservation internship at the historical May Patterson Goodrum House, a 1930s Regency-era estate in the heart of Atlanta.

For this unique internship, Sobrino joined the house’s sole keeper, Barbara Hyde, to assist in its preservation, rehabilitation, restoration and reconstruction. This involved cataloging some of the thousands of objects in the house, conducting investigative research and assisting with educational tours.

“This museum in particular has really helped me to engage on a deeper level with art and think about things from a historical perspective, a preservation perspective — not just an artistic perspective,” says Sobrino, “so I think it’s made me a very well-rounded individual.”

Sobrino’s internship was made possible through the Watson-Brown Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting the education of students in the American South — and the current owner of the May Patterson Goodrum House.