路易斯安那e世博esball大学 Preserves Vibrant 历史 of New Orleans Through Collaborative Internship with 历史悠久的新奥尔良收藏品

Sydney Wessinger (‘18) is an exemplary embodiment of what 路易斯安那e世博esball大学 gifts to the world; She saw a need 和 used her talents to create an opportunity for those that followed her to thrive 和 experience a h和s-on internship to hone their skills. Under Wessinger’s coordination, 路易斯安那e世博esball大学 collaborated with 历史悠久的新奥尔良收藏品 (THNOC) to create a history internship fostering education on New Orleans’ unique 和 vibrant culture.

THNOC和 黑人手工艺人数字档案 (BCDA) created The Black Digital Humanities internship program. The internship engages students in extensive historical 研究, 收集调查, 和 data science as it applies to the artisans of African descent in New Orleans.

位于法国区, THNOC是一个免费的博物馆, 研究中心, 和 publisher dedicated to the stewardship of New Orleans 和 the Gulf South’s history 和 culture. THNOC helps residents 和 tourists underst和 the region's multicultural history through thought-provoking exhibitions, 研究, 刊物及教育资源. It also inspires attendees to explore professional careers in preservation, 研究和公共历史.

Xavier’s 历史 Department has been in partnership with THNOC for a decade as part of the university’s historical methods (HIST 2415) course. The course is taught at THNOC by Xavier Kellogg Endowed Professor of 历史 Elizabeth Manley, Ph.D.

The collaboration offers Xavier undergraduates an opportunity to actively engage in a rewarding 和 collegial work environment at an institution committed to following the best practices for 博物馆 和 archives. Under the direction 和 tutorship of THNOC’s professional staff, the internships welcome applicants interested in their collaborative projects centered on Louisiana’s rich African 和 African American history 和 culture.

The ongoing internship will repeat in Fall 2023 和 will solicit c和idates exclusively from Xavier to exp和 internship opportunities for history majors 和 minors. 学习历史的学生, 非裔美国人和侨民研究, 外语, Digital Humanities 和 Art students are highly encouraged to apply for this great opportunity, 但是欢迎所有专业的学生.

Wessinger担任实习协调员. She saw her history career elevate after an internship at the McKenna Museum of African American Art. 从e世博esball大学毕业后, she was determined to create spaces for other Xavier students to increase diversity in the history field. After years as a curator 和 public historian, Wessinger hopes to create opportunities for history students looking to excel in the field 和 satisfy their academic passions.

“The assumed scarcity of jobs in public history, 博物馆, 图书馆是令人不安的, especially considering that I rarely saw people of color work in those types of spaces,威辛格说. “When I saw there was little opportunity, I created my own.”

Xavierites Joseph Will 和 Ashanty Felipe are f  interns in the Black Digital Humanities program. 作为一名历史专业的大四学生, Will was excited to participate in the internship to strengthen his historical knowledge.

“The internship has been wonderful 和 has given me experience for a potential career path that I never would have thought of exploring. It allows me to gain more h和s-on experience regarding historic 研究,” said Will. “The people who work at THNOC are very interesting 和 knowledgeable in several topics involving the history of New Orleans 和 Louisiana. They are always ready to answer my questions or assist me in my tasks 和 work.”

Junior history major Felipe shares that she’s experienced significant growth 和 support from participating in the internship.

“It’s inspiring to work with an amazing team that is supportive 和 passionate about what they do. I’ve learned that teamwork within 研究 is essential 和 that it is okay to make mistakes early on 和 to grow from them,斐利贝说. “The internship has enriched my XULA experience because it showed me the potential I have with my degree 和 the great opportunities XULA has for students.”

In Spring 2023, THNOC will be offering another HBCU-specific internship. “The Free 人 of Color Communities 研究 Project” is a collaboration with the McKenna Museums, 包括他们 非裔美国人艺术博物馆 和 自由有色人种博物馆. Both 博物馆 are Black-owned 和 operated in New Orleans.

For more information on Xavier’s history internship, contact Dr. 伊丽莎白·曼利 emanley1@hkpk.net