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This internship, while slightly different from my initial expectations, proved to be a valuable experience. The opportunity to help create an exhibit gave me a good opportunity to experience work at an historical society first hand, instead of simply being told about it. I got to see how an exhibit goes from a handful of loosely connected ideas to a fully realized, tangible finished product, through working on one myself from start to finish. This sort of experiential learning is both rewarding and useful, and the fact that Greg and I were given almost complete creative control contributed to that. I went from knowing nothing about the brass band movement in America in the late 19th century to knowing quite a bit about it–and the fact that the exhibit is focused on Cumberland County specifically means that I’ve learned about the area around me, which makes it all the more significant.

I am grateful as well for the networking opportunities this internship has provided me with. I have talked to a number of people about their positions and responsibilities at CCHS, and getting to see the many different types of work there is to be done here has helped me figure out what kinds of work I would or would not enjoy doing.  This is much deeper, more detailed and candid information than any I could gain through research, because the responsibilities associated with these positions vary so greatly from place to place. This makes individual standpoints and opinions all the more valuable. Everyone I talked to was happy to show me what their work consisted of, and to answer all the questions I had.

This internship is one that I have enjoyed, and I feel privileged to have been given this opportunity.

Liam Donahue, Dickinson College