An Iowa College in the Liberal Arts Tradition
Internship Stories
Caroline Handley
When: Summer 2019
Where: Vesterheim Museum
Major: History, with a Museum Studies minor
Caroline served as a Collections Intern, and in that role sorted a large amount of archival material that Vesterheim had acquired from the last few decades of Decorah's annual Nordic Fest. She also assisted with the development of the museum's "Favorite Things" exhibit, researched some family histories, and helped with teaching demonstrations. "I loved the first-hand experience that this internship gave me," she said. "I was able to dive right in to working with museum objects, assisting with paperwork, and interacting with the public." Although she had been weighing different career options, Caroline's Vesterheim internship solidified that museum work is the direction she wants to take in graduate school and as a profession.
Linnea Kephart
When: Summer 2016
Where: The Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum
Major: Music and Nordic Studies
Linnea spent her summer at Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum working as the assistant to the head of the folk art classes. She helped manage classrooms and various projects such as making posters and translating Norwegian books. Vesterheim does a wonderful job educating Scandinavian trades by teaching classes such as rosemaling, wood carving, and Norwegian baking. Linnea quickly learned from the internship that little things matter, and how communication skills play a huge role in a successful organization. She loved that she gained hands-on experience with Norwegian traditions and learning more about her passion for Nordic Studies. Linnea is excited to pursue her career interest in these traditions by researching and keeping Norwegian traditions alive.
