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2015 Interns

 

Paul Safford

Paul Safford interned at the Fort Des Moines Museum in 2015. He said, "My time at the Fort Des Moines Museum has opened my eyes to how historical issues are presented in a public as opposed to an academic setting." Through his experience Paul gained first-hand knowledge of how a small museum operates on a day-to-day basis. Specifically, he learned how to use Past Perfect software (a museum cataloging tool), worked with historical artifacts and indexed them, and interacted with board members. The Fort Des Moines Museum has faced some difficult times but is now rebuilding. Paul was gratified to help with its renewal.

Ally Zarr

Ally Zarr interned with the Iowa Jewish Historical Society (IJHS). She was able to experience many new and exciting opportunities. For example, Ally translated documents, learned how to use the Past Perfect software, re-created her own exhibits inside the museum, helped plan the new exhibits' opening, assisted with a fundraiser, and she also attended a few board meetings. Ally was able to use both of her German and history majors during her time at IJHS. For instance, she translated letters written in German that a Jewish family had written to one another during WWII. Ally also learned a great deal while she was helping to plan the exhibit opening and the meal fundraiser. The IJHS's new exhibit was called "Food in Jewish Life," so their fundraiser was centered on Jewish kosher cooking, which was a topic that Ally did not know much about before her internship; however, she now realizes how important it is for the Jewish community.