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Internship Testimonials

Elise Dukart

Elise Dukart

Texas Tech University, Class of 2019
M.A. Heritage and Museum Sciences
Collections Intern, Winter/Spring 2019
Assistant Registrar, State Historical Society of North Dakota

"My six-month collections internship with the State Historical Society of North Dakota was a wonderful experience. I gained a wide range of applicable skills for work in the field, and my intern project allowed for a great deal of independence. I honed my problem-solving and project management skills as I worked on my main goal of updating the cataloging and housing of items at one of the institution's offsite storage facilities. Not only did I gain experience working with collections through data management and collections care, I was also given the opportunity to work in multiple museum areas. I assisted with exhibit preparation and install, managing potential acquisitions and incoming and outgoing loans, and many other aspects of everyday museum work. The internship prepared me for a career in museums by providing hands-on experience in an environment of skilled professionals who are kind, helpful, and knowledgeable. It was clear during the internship that my contributions were meaningful to the ongoing work and goals of SHSND, and I have been able to see that very work make a difference at SHSND after I joined their team as the Assistant Registrar."


Anna Killian

Anna Killlian

Bachelors: History and Entrepreneurship at Western Carolina University, 2016
Masters: Public History, North Carolina State University, 2018
Site Supervisor, State Historical Society of North Dakota

"In January of 2017, as citizens of Bismarck scurried between snowbanks, I left the hills of North Carolina to begin an internship that would change the trajectory of my career. After attending Jenny Yearous' renowned 'Collections Bootcamp' and flexing my new muscle on a solo cataloging challenge, I was deemed fit to begin. I worked hard to meaningfully contribute to the creation and installation of a traveling exhibit under Jenny's wise eyes. From object selection to packing up and transporting the exhibit across the state, I constantly learned new skills that I now use on a daily basis. In addition to those projects, I installed an exhibit born of my own ideas, dipped my toe into new media creation, historic sites preservation, and even pest patrol (thank goodness it was winter. Bugs dislike long winters almost as much as North Carolinians). The SHSND team welcomed me into their midst, and Jenny was purposeful in how she connected the agency to the internship. Each person went out of their way to contribute to my learning. The knowledge gained, the skills attained, and the friendships made will surely last a lifetime. Thank you!"


Heather Rudy

Heather Rudy

Eastern Illinois University
Masters of Art in Historical Administration
Graduated May 2005
Registrar, Museum of Osteopathic Medicine

"My internship experience with the State Historical Society of North Dakota was one of the best decisions made to enhance my career in Collections Care. At the beginning of the six month internship, under Jenny Yearous, I was told "When you leave, you will be able to do my job", and boy was that statement correct. Through the internship, I was able to hone skills that had only been read about or briefly touched upon in class. All elements of Collections Care were encountered, from deciding what artifacts to acquire through placing the artifact in storage. There were opportunities to work on several exhibits from the initial planning stages through installation. We were taught proper pest management and monitoring in several collection areas. When I left the internship I felt that I had a strong background and the proper experience to begin my career in Collections Care. I have used the skills that I learned in North Dakota every day for the past ten years in my career as a Museum Registrar. This internship is a great experience for those who want to work with museum collections. While I had the education, this internship created the great foundation that has helped me achieve the career that I enjoy today."


Rachel Gruszka

Collections Manager – Anthropology Division, Museum of Texas Tech University
B.A. – Bowdoin College 2002
M.A. in Anthropology – University of Michigan 2006
M.A. in Museum Science – Texas Tech University 2010
Intern – SHSND Museum Division January-July 2010

"I am very thankful for the opportunity that I had to work as an intern in the State Historical Society of North Dakota Museum Division. It was an extremely well rounded experience, furthering my knowledge and giving me first-hand training in a wide array of collections management tasks, which were supplemented by participation in registration and exhibit activities. I utilize many of the skills that I learned at SHSND on a daily basis in my current position and frequently think back to my internship when looking for inspiration for new ways to package or house objects. On top of being an excellent educational opportunity, one of the best things about interning at SHSND was the people I worked with on a day-to-day basis. Not only were they knowledgeable in the field and cared about my development as an emerging museum professional, but they were wonderful to work with, making each work day enjoyable. I have many great memories of the time I spent in Bismarck and the friends I made at SHSND."


Tia Stenson

Tia Stenson

Luther College, Class of 2016

"During my summer collections internship, I worked on a large inventory and collection assessment project for the State Historical Society of North Dakota. Working alongside another intern, we focused on a full inventory of an off-site storage facility, with some objects not yet integrated into the permanent collection. Once the collection items were inventoried, they were assessed for proper processing as museum holdings, equipment, or unwanted items. Working with the Museum Division’s Collections Committee, I helped to create a plan for processing the inventoried objects according to their planned disposition. In addition to this project, I got to witness other aspects of the Historical Society as they developed their final plans for exhibit installations of their new galleries. The internship inspired me to continue the interest of doing registration work since I enjoyed presenting objects to the collections committee for approval for integration into their collections."


Anna Goodwin

Anna Goodwin

Eastern Illinois University class of 2010
Collections Manager/Registrar at Maryhill Museum of Art in Goldendale, WA

"My collections internship at the SHSND was an invaluable experience that greatly influenced the development of my career. The internship encompassed all aspects of collections management, allowing me to gain hands-on experience with collections research, exhibit development, mount-making for storage and exhibits, acquisitions, loans, and so much more. I had the opportunity to see the complete workings of a collections department and how it coordinates with the larger museum. The supervisory staff provided guidance, but allowed me to use my own initiative, creating an ideal learning environment.

Here's a bit specifically aimed at EIU:
The collections/registration internship at the SHSND is a perfect complement to the HA program. With the same commitment to experiential learning as the HA program, the internship allows students to employ all of the skills learned in the HA program in a real world setting."


Loran Berg

Eastern Illinois University class of 2011

"I enthusiastically recommend an internship at SHSND! During my internship there I was able to meaningfully contribute to long term exhibits and collections storage work on a daily basis. The museum staff makes sure that this internship isn’t composed of tasks that nobody else wants to so, they work to ensure that it’s a fun and educational internship. In fact, I attribute the bulk of my collections knowledge, and the love I have for my work, to my internship at SHSND. You will come out of this internship with skilled, hands-on knowledge of what working in a museum entails!"


Stephanie Templin

Eastern Illinois University class of 2014
Collections Manager, Eastern Shore of Virginia Historical Society

"My internship at the State Historical Society of North Dakota gave me tremendous insight into the workings of the collections department at a large institution. The staff is nice and always encouraged me to ask any questions. There is a wide variety of artifacts in their collections, which gave me numerous opportunities to learn how to care for and catalogue different types of materials and objects from automobiles to paper dolls. I learned a lot during my six month internship, and it provided hands-on experiences to compliment what I learned during coursework. Bismarck and North Dakota itself has a unique history and a beautiful setting, with more historical locations within driving distance, perfect for weekend trips. My internship at the State Historical Society of North Dakota has definitely prepared me for a career in the museum field!"


Stacie Petersen

Stacie Petersen

Class of 2006, Texas Tech University
Current Position: Registrar at the National World War I Museum and Memorial

"Being able to apply the information that I learned in my Museum Science classes to real life situations during my 6-month Collections Internship was an essential part of my training. The skills and completed projects I was able to add to my resume allowed me to be extremely competitive and secure the job positions I wanted by having real world experience. Staff at the SHSND treated me as a fellow colleague and allowed me to an active participant in the department."


Megan Wilson

Megan Wilson

Baylor University, M.A. Museum Studies 2015
Collections Manager, Martin Museum of Art
Baylor University

"My registration internship at the State Historical Society of North Dakota was an incredible experience.  The staff seek to create rich, immersive experiences for interns and provide unmatched opportunities to be involved in meaningful projects.  What I appreciated most was that learning was the priority.  We were given the chance to sit down with staff members across departments, visit other museums and historical sites, and attend staff meetings.  The skills I developed as an intern have been so helpful as I start my career as a museum professional."


Katherine Wright

Katherine Wright

Museum Registration Intern, Summer 2014
Seton Hall University
Master of Arts in Museum Professions, 2016
Collections Technician, New Jersey State Museum

"My internship at the State Historical Society of North Dakota (SHSND) was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my educational and professional career.  At SHSND I put into practice many skills I learned in my graduate classes at Seton Hall University, while also acquiring new ones.   I worked under talented museum professionals who actively mentored and encouraged me to work outside my comfort zone.  During my internship I performed the tasks of a museum registrar and collections manager.  These tasks included mailing gift agreements, accessioning objects, integrated pest management and environmental monitoring.  I also wrote a blog post about a few recent acquisitions to the SHSND collection.  The SHSND internship program also organized several tours to historical sites in North Dakota, which taught me about North Dakota state history.  Not only did I find my internship rewarding and enriching, I also became friends with several other SHSND interns who I still talk to regularly.  I highly recommend this internship to emerging museum professionals seeking to hone their skills."

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