The State Historical Society of North Dakota is offering eight summer internships providing intensive work experience in a specialty area. The State Historical Society of North Dakota operates the North Dakota Heritage Center, the state’s largest museum, as well as 55 historic sites and two regional museums. It maintains a collection of over one million two- and three-dimensional objects and annually serves more than 250,000 people from around the world.
Available Internships: Dakota Datebook Research
Historic Interpretation
Curatorial Technician
Historic Sites
Marketing and Communications
Graphic Design
Photo Archives Historic Preservation
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Prerequisites: In addition to specific internship requirements, all applicants must demonstrate a general knowledge of the humanities and/or history, organizational skills, strong communication skills, the ability to manage multiple tasks, and the ability to work independently as well as with a variety of people.
Application Contents: Resume
Cover letter
Official transcript(s)
One letter of recommendation from an instructor in the subject area
Application Deadline: Applications must be postmarked no later than February 28, 2007.
Notification: Interviews and selection process will be completed by March 28, 2007.
Contact: State Historical Society of North Dakota
Attn: Beth Campbell, Visitor Services Coordinator
612 E. Boulevard
Bismarck, North Dakota 58505-0830
Phone: 701/328-2666 E-mail [log in to unmask]
Successful applicants will undergo a criminal background check. The Society may decline to offer an applicant an internship based on the results of that check.
Interns wishing to receive course credit are responsible for coordinating credit requirements with their faculty advisor and with the State Historical Society of North Dakota internship supervisor.
Housing may be available through Bismarck State College.
DAKOTA DATEBOOK RESEARCH INTERN
Scope of Work: This is a shared internship of the State Historical Society of North Dakota and Prairie Public Broadcasting. The internship is designed to assist the writer of Dakota Datebook, a North Dakota Public Radio daily historical broadcast, and the State Historical Society, a partner in the project, with historical research related to identified stories. This internship will utilize the resources of the State Historical Society, especially those in the State Archives and Historical Research Library. These resources include microfilmed newspapers, manuscripts and documents, books and periodicals, and research files. Many stories have been identified for development; the intern will be responsible for locating additional information and verifying facts. Since Dakota Datebook stories are typically date specific, research is also needed to identify dates with interesting and relevant stories. Meeting assigned deadlines is critical.
Products: Proposed scripts that are interesting, timely, and accurate for use in Dakota Datebook productions
Schedule: The internship is an eight-hour workday, Monday through Friday.The length of the internship is negotiable, but eight to ten weeks is preferred. The internship will begin with discussions between the Dakota Datebook staff, State Historical Society of North Dakota staff, and the intern. These discussions will establish schedules, priorities, and processes for research projects.
Location: North Dakota Heritage Center, Bismarck
Supervisor: Jim Davis, head of reference services
Prerequisites: Experience in historical research, writing, and a general knowledge of North Dakota history
Stipend: Dependent upon experience.
HISTORIC INTERPRETATION INTERN
Scope of Work: The historic interpretation intern will work with the award-winning program, Footsteps into Medora’s Past, as an interpreter. Work will include interpretation planning sessions, Chateau de Mores site meetings, research to become familiar with Medora’s history, participation in an interpretive walking tour of Medora four to five days a week, and promotion of the program through brochure and poster distribution.
Footsteps into Medora’s Past is a collaborative project between the State Historical Society of North Dakota, the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation, Dickinson State University, and Billings County Historical Society and Museum. It consists of the walking tour of Medora, the drama, Recollections of Murder and Mayhem in Medora, and the children’s tour of the Chateau de Mores. The program was awarded the Mountain Plains Museum Association’s 2006 Excellence in Education Programming and is nominated for the 2006 American Association of Museum’s award.
Products: The intern will be required to keep a daily activity journal to be submitted at the end of the internship, complete selected readings, participate in four to five walking tours per week, complete a mid-summer and final evaluation, and complete assigned research topics. Additional duties may include assisting with the children’s tour of the Chateau de Mores.
Schedule: June through August 2007, 200 hours minimum, length and dates flexible. The work week will include some weekends and evenings.
Location: Chateau de Mores State Historic Site and the community of Medora
Supervisor: Diane Rogness, western regional manager
Prerequisites: Outstanding communications skills, and good organizational skills
Stipend: Dependent upon experience
CURATORIAL TECHNICIAN
Scope of work: Assist curator of collections management (Museum & Education Division) with collections management activities. The intern will have the option of working on a variety of collections tasks or focusing on a specific project. The intern will develop skills in identification, classification, description, documentation, and storage of museum artifacts. The intern will receive practical experience in all aspects of collections management.
Products: Completed worksheets, photographs, and other products are possible, depending on the project selected. A daily journal and experience summary will be required, along with on-site training and supplemental reading.
Schedule: June - August 2007, 200 hours minimum, length and dates otherwise flexible
Location: North Dakota Heritage Center, Bismarck
Supervisor: Jenny Yearous, curator of collections management
Prerequisites: Undergraduate student of senior status in anthropology, U.S. history, American studies, museum studies, natural history, or related field. Recent graduates and graduate students are encouraged to apply. Education or experience in collections management/museum registration is preferred.
Stipend: Graduate student stipend available
HISTORIC SITES INTERN
Scope of work: Assist with and observe all areas of operation at Camp Hancock and the Former Governors’ Mansion State Historic Sites. Work with visitor services, operations, public relations, interpretive programs, historical research, and the general maintenance and security of the artifacts and the historic buildings on the site, along with miscellaneous duties associated with the site's operation.
Products: The intern will develop an education plan and/or a interpretive plan for Camp Hancock State Historic Site. A daily journal and experience summary will be required, along with on-site training and supplemental reading.
Schedule: The intern will be expected to work a forty hour week including staffing Camp Hancock from 1 to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.
Location: Camp Hancock and Former Governors’ Mansion State Historic Sites, Bismarck
Supervisor: Johnathan Campbell, site supervisor
Pre-requisite: Undergraduate student of junior or senior status in anthropology, U.S. history, American studies, museum studies, natural history, education, or related field. Recent graduates and graduate students are encouraged to apply.
If available, the historic sites intern should plan on attending the State Historic Sites training Saturday, April 14, at the North Dakota Heritage Center in Bismarck.
Stipend: Dependent upon experience
MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS INTERN
Scope of Work: The marketing and communications intern will primarily be responsible for the visitor research project, including devising methods and processes for gathering information, implementing the project, and reporting /analyzing the data. Other duties may include assisting with brochures, handbooks, newsletters, and website content.
Products: A final written report detailing the findings of the visitor survey
Schedule: 250 hours minimum, some weekend work will be included. Length and dates are otherwise flexible.
Location: North Dakota Heritage Center, Bismarck
Supervisor: Rick Collin, communication director
Prerequisites: Prefer graduate student in an academic discipline that emphasizes social research methods, such as museum studies, history, communications, and marketing. Undergraduate students of junior or senior status in similar fields will be considered, based on training and experience in research methods. Requires strong interpersonal, writing, research, and organizational skills. Must have strong word processing, spreadsheet, and desktop publishing skills.
Stipend: Dependent upon experience
GRAPHIC DESIGN INTERN
Scope of work: Assist the graphic designer and exhibit manager with exhibit text panels and other graphic production needs of the agency. Work focuses on in-house production of flyers and other printed materials, the development and design of exhibit panels, and work with specifications and fabrication for exhibit panel production.
Products: Completed projects that meet the needs of museum visitors and match the interests and skills of the intern. An experience summary required.
Schedule: June - August, 2007, length and dates flexible
Location: North Dakota Heritage Center, Bismarck
Supervisor: Brian Austin, graphic designer
Pre-requisite: Basic college level writing and design classes, proficiency on MacIntosh graphics and word-processing programs.
Stipend: Dependent upon experience
PHOTO ARCHIVES INTERN
Scope of Work: Assist archivist with processing a large photographic collection. Duties will include: numbering and sleeving images, researching information about the images, filing, and data entry. The intern will also assist the archivist with the selection of images for publication or exhibit projects as needed.
Products: Regular progress reports to the archivist. A daily journal and experience summary, along with on-site training and supplemental reading, and the completion of assigned processing project.
Schedule: June through August, 2007, length and dates otherwise flexible
Location: North Dakota Heritage Center, Bismarck
Supervisor: Lotte Bailey, deputy state archivist
Prerequisites: Undergraduate or graduate student with an appreciation for North Dakota history and/or archival administration. Familiarity with and/or ability to learn archival processing procedures. Strong organizational skills and attention to detail. Applicant will need to climb ladders, move boxes up to 40 lbs, and work with dusty materials.
Stipend: Dependent upon experience
HISTORIC PRESERVATION INTERN
Scope of work: Research and write the statement of significance (section 8)and assist in preparing the narrative description (section 7)of a National Register of Historic Places nomination for a North Dakota property. The intern will be required to use National Register Bulletins 16A and 39, How To Complete the National Register Registration Form and Researching a Historic Property, in preparing the documents.
Products: 1. Research materials including, but not limited to, a legal description, photocopies of the property deed and any newspaper articles about the property, a local history, architectural style information, and oral history interview notes with the property owner and local historians
2. Completed section 8
3. Bibliography
4. Photographs from a site visit, labeled according to bulletin 16A
5. Presentation, using written nomination and digital or color slides, at the State Historic Preservation Review Board meeting on Friday, August 31, 2007, at the Heritage Center in Bismarck
The architectural historian will be working on the narrative description (section 7) while the intern writes the section 8. The entire nomination will be completed for the August meeting.
Schedule: May - August 2007, length and dates otherwise flexible
An outline of the research program should be presented within two weeks of the selection of a property. An outline and/or partial draft should be submitted by July 6.
Deadline for completed work is August 31, 2007.
Location: The selection of the property will be made after the internship is awarded, and selection will consider the interests and location of the intern. A site in the region in which the intern is located will be chosen if at all possible.
At least one visit to the site, and a minimum of two visits to the North Dakota Heritage Center will be required.
Supervisor: Mary Kate Ryan, architectural historian
Prerequisites: Example of writing skills must be included with application. Applicants should demonstrate an interest in history and architecture, and a willingness to learn and adapt to a federal program’s requirements.