Exciting New Internship Program for 2013-14

Through the generosity of the CAS Dean’s Office, the History Department is able to offer seven fellowships a semester (fourteen for the year total) to History undergraduates to undertake HIST 398 internships at selected local cultural institutions in the 2013-14 academic year. The History at Work Fellowship Intern Program recognizes the importance of non-profit cultural organizations to the lifeblood of a great city and encourages students to think about careers in public history. As History at Work Fellows, undergraduates will be enrolled in HIST 398, the History Undergraduate Internship Program and fulfill all the requirements for the course; will be profiled on the History Department website; will give a short talk at their institution about their internship; and will receive a $250 stipend applied towards their tuition.


For the 2013-14 History at Work Fellowship Program, the History Department has partnered with seven cultural history institutions with a broad range of collections and missions. These institutions include:

Chicago History Museum
This intern position will be conducting research, working on, and organizing programs around the Chicago History Book Club to take place in the February of 2014 on Theodore Dreiser's novel Sister Carrie. At the conclusion of the book club, the intern will also work researching and processing in the Museum's archival collections. Contact: Peter Alter (alter@chicagohistory.org).

National Hellenic Museum
The National Hellenic Museum is America’s only national institution to document and present the legacy of Greek Americans and their contributions to the American mosaic, while celebrating their rich Greek history and culture and the profound impact of their Hellenic heritage upon the world. Contact: Chris Helms (chelms@hellenicmuseum.org).

National Public Housing Museum

The National Public Housing Museum is more than a collection of objects. Through stories of real families, the Museum provides an open and neutral forum to discuss the lessons of public housing and closely related issues such as affordable housing, poverty, race and immigration, which continue to shape the American experience and affect our society. Contact: Jordan Powers (jpowers@nphm.org).

Newberry Library
A world-renowned independent research library in Chicago, the Newberry offers readers an extensive non-circulating collection of rare books, maps, music, manuscripts, and other printed material spanning six centuries. Its staff provides award-winning service and supports a rich array of programmatic opportunities. Contact: Diane Dillon (dillond@newberry.org).

Pritzker Military Library
Part military history and information center, part museum – the Pritzker Military Library is open to the public with an extensive collection of books, artifacts and rotating exhibits covering many eras and branches of the military. Celebrating its tenth anniversary, the Library is a center where citizens and Citizen Soldiers come together to learn from each other, about military history and about the role of the Armed Forces in today’s society. Contact: Christy Stanford (cstanford@pritzkermilitarylibrary.org).

Rogers Park/West Ridge Historical Society

The Rogers Park and West Ridge Historical Society's mission is to collect, preserve, and share the historical narratives of our two neighborhoods. Our museum is at 1447 W. Morse Ave Chicago, IL 60626. Contact: Jared Matthews (j.matthews@rpwrhs.org).

Swedish American Museum
Through its arts and educational programs and its permanent collection, the Swedish American Museum interprets the immigrant experience for children and adults and promotes an appreciation of contemporary Swedish-American culture. Contact: Karin Moen Abercrombie (kabercrombie@samac.org).

One History at Work Fellowship will be available at each institution for the fall and spring semesters.

To be considered for a History at Work Fellowship, interested undergraduates should apply directly to the institution of their choosing for an internship. Once successful in setting up an internship, students should submit a one paragraph (no more than 300 words) explanation of their interest in participating in the program to Dr. Kyle Roberts (kroberts2@luc.edu). No more than one student per semester will be named a History at Work Fellow for a given institution, but that does not mean that multiple students cannot pursue other internships at these institutions. This program in no ways limits the internships that students can undertake at non-participating institutions across campus and the city.

Questions? Please contact Dr Roberts (kroberts2@luc.edu).