Untitled Document

It was a defining moment for me. I was nearing completion of my undergraduate degree; I had no career plans. I visited Mama at work and found her talking with Sarah Moseley, a long-time educator known for her sometimes truculent honesty. I told her my state of affairs; she put her hands on her hips and said very gravely, “Now that you’ve got your bucket of shit, what are you gonna do with it?” I did not yet, in fact, have my proverbial bucket, but her point was well taken.

It’s easy to forget the diverse employment opportunities that are available to those of us devoted to the humanities. Six Southern Studies M.A. candidates, however, worked internships in the year 2000, amply reminding us that both unpaid resume building positions and paid positions are available.

I spent six weeks in Vicksburg, Mississippi, during July and August, working with the folks at the Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation. Sarah Petrides spent her spring semester in Norfolk, Virginia, working with the Hampton Roads Naval Museum. Sally Walburn spent two months of her summer in Atlanta, Georgia, working for the Southern Arts Federation. Donna Buzzard earned an internship with the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C. Kenneth Sallis is just beginning an internship this fall semester working with Oxford historic preservation activist Susie Marshall. Vanessa Bliss is currently doing an internship with Ralph Nader’s campaign as the Green Party’s Presidential candidate. Such projects provide interns a variety of tasks that are both professionally productive and personally rewarding. Internships also help us extend our professional networks through working with people and organizations that are committed to researching and interpreting Southern culture.

I obtained my position at the Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation (SCHF) through Susan Glisson, who coordinates the Center’s internship program. The SCHF and the Center have had a close, mutually beneficial relationship since the SCHF was founded in 1994. During my six weeks at SCHF, I participated in several activities. My primary duty was to construct a collections policy that will allow the SCHF to utilize volunteers in formally cataloging and accessioning the wonderful collection of documents, photographs, and artifacts donated by the Sisters of Mercy. I was also able to participate in the monthly Humanities Lecture Series, the debut event for the CD-Rom A Mississippi Portrait: Farm Security Administration Photographs, 1935‑1940, a truly spectacular quilting exhibit, and a photography exhibition. My favorite duty was guiding tours through the impressive buildings now owned and operated by the SCHF and that once composed the St. Francis Xavier Convent and Academy. The people that I worked with were incredible, and the experience has convinced me that my studies have not been in vain.

Sarah Petrides worked for the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, “the official area museum of the US Navy.” Sarah wrote to the museum inquiring about the possibility of employment. Though they did not offer an internship, Sarah convinced the museum to create one for her. She “did a lot of different things” during her internship. She wrote articles for the museum’s newsletter, taught school children, attended area museum forums, edited display texts, helped construct displays, and did a lot of research on local history. Sarah has also paved the way for future interns by proposing to the museum’s board that her impromptu, unpaid internship be converted to an annual, paid internship. I asked Sarah to sum up her internship: “I think it was a great experience. In addition, I made a lot of local connections.”

Sally Walburn’s two month, unpaid internship with the Southern Arts Federation helped her strengthen her organizational skills, allowed her to help coordinate table displays for the Southern Arts Exchange event, meet and visit with several well-known folk artists in north Georgia, and work with Southern Visions Museum Exhibits. Sally, too, had the opportunity to strengthen her professional connections. She gained focus from her experience: “As a result of my internship with the Southern Arts Federation, I am quite interested in pursuing a career as a folklorist. Teresa Hollingsworth is a great boss, and her enthusiasm for the material has everything to do with my having had an educational and positive experience.”

Donna Buzzard used her summer both to gain professional experience and to further her thesis research by working at the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C. The position was unpaid and required 160 hours of work. Donna, like Sarah, earned this prestigious internship through persistently, persuasively communicating directly with the National Archives. She was assigned to the Old Military and Civil Records Department and spent most of her time working with Bureau of Indian Affairs records. She also researched land purchase records from Western states, responded to inquiries regarding establishment of post offices, and assisted with a huge INS project categorizing immigration papers from the turn of the century. Donna found her coworkers very supportive and the internship worth while.

Kenneth Sallis is just beginning an exciting, unpaid internship that will last throughout the Fall 2000 semester. Kenneth learned of the position from Susan Glisson. Working with local historic preservation activist Susie Marshall, Kenneth will use photography and film to document African American churches and cemeteries in Lafayette County.

Vanessa Bliss is managing a very high-energy local campaign for Presidential candidate Ralph Nader. Her position is paid, and her duties include fundraising, coordinating volunteers, organizing local groups around the state, acting as liaison for headquarters and Mississippi volunteers. Vanessa is very positive about her internship: “I love it. It’s great experience, and I’m working for something I really believe in.”

Southern Studies M.A. candidates worked internships that reflect only a small portion of the diverse professional opportunities available to us: cultural resources management, a variety of museum work, archives work, and documentary work. We also managed to maintain and expand the wide network of collaborative relationships enjoyed by ourselves and the Center.

	Southern Studies M.A. Candidates Participate in a Variety of Internships

	It was a defining moment for me. I was nearing completion of my undergraduate degree; I had no career plans. I visited Mama at work and found her talking with Sarah Moseley, a long-time educator known for her sometimes truculent honesty. I told her my state of affairs; she put her hands on her hips and said very gravely, “Now that you’ve got your bucket of shit, what are you gonna do with it?” I did not yet, in fact, have my proverbial bucket, but her point was well taken. It’s easy to forget the diverse employment opportunities that are available to those of us devoted to the humanities. Six Southern Studies M.A. candidates, however, worked internships in the year 2000, amply reminding us that both unpaid resume building positions and paid positions are available. I spent six weeks in Vicksburg, Mississippi, during July and August, working with the folks at the Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation. Sarah Petrides spent her spring semester in Norfolk, Virginia, working with the Hampton Roads Naval Museum. Sally Walburn spent two months of her summer in Atlanta, Georgia, working for the Southern Arts Federation. Donna Buzzard earned an internship with the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C. Kenneth Sallis is just beginning an internship this fall semester working with Oxford historic preservation activist Susie Marshall. Vanessa Bliss is currently doing an internship with Ralph Nader’s campaign as the Green Party’s Presidential candidate. Such projects provide interns a variety of tasks that are both professionally productive and personally rewarding. Internships also help us extend our professional networks through working with people and organizations that are committed to researching and interpreting Southern culture. I obtained my position at the Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation (SCHF) through Susan Glisson, who coordinates the Center’s internship program. The SCHF and the Center have had a close, mutually beneficial relationship since the SCHF was founded in 1994. During my six weeks at SCHF, I participated in several activities. My primary duty was to construct a collections policy that will allow the SCHF to utilize volunteers in formally cataloging and accessioning the wonderful collection of documents, photographs, and artifacts donated by the Sisters of Mercy. I was also able to participate in the monthly Humanities Lecture Series, the debut event for the CD-Rom A Mississippi Portrait: Farm Security Administration Photographs, 1935‑1940, a truly spectacular quilting exhibit, and a photography exhibition. My favorite duty was guiding tours through the impressive buildings now owned and operated by the SCHF and that once composed the St. Francis Xavier Convent and Academy. The people that I worked with were incredible, and the experience has convinced me that my studies have not been in vain. Sarah Petrides worked for the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, “the official area museum of the US Navy.” Sarah wrote to the museum inquiring about the possibility of employment. Though they did not offer an internship, Sarah convinced the museum to create one for her. She “did a lot of different things” during her internship. She wrote articles for the museum’s newsletter, taught school children, attended area museum forums, edited display texts, helped construct displays, and did a lot of research on local history. Sarah has also paved the way for future interns by proposing to the museum’s board that her impromptu, unpaid internship be converted to an annual, paid internship. I asked Sarah to sum up her internship: “I think it was a great experience. In addition, I made a lot of local connections.” Sally Walburn’s two month, unpaid internship with the Southern Arts Federation helped her strengthen her organizational skills, allowed her to help coordinate table displays for the Southern Arts Exchange event, meet and visit with several well-known folk artists in north Georgia, and work with Southern Visions Museum Exhibits. Sally, too, had the opportunity to strengthen her professional connections. She gained focus from her experience: “As a result of my internship with the Southern Arts Federation, I am quite interested in pursuing a career as a folklorist. Teresa Hollingsworth is a great boss, and her enthusiasm for the material has everything to do with my having had an educational and positive experience.” Donna Buzzard used her summer both to gain professional experience and to further her thesis research by working at the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C. The position was unpaid and required 160 hours of work. Donna, like Sarah, earned this prestigious internship through persistently, persuasively communicating directly with the National Archives. She was assigned to the Old Military and Civil Records Department and spent most of her time working with Bureau of Indian Affairs records. She also researched land purchase records from Western states, responded to inquiries regarding establishment of post offices, and assisted with a huge INS project categorizing immigration papers from the turn of the century. Donna found her coworkers very supportive and the internship worth while. Kenneth Sallis is just beginning an exciting, unpaid internship that will last throughout the Fall 2000 semester. Kenneth learned of the position from Susan Glisson. Working with local historic preservation activist Susie Marshall, Kenneth will use photography and film to document African American churches and cemeteries in Lafayette County. Vanessa Bliss is managing a very high-energy local campaign for Presidential candidate Ralph Nader. Her position is paid, and her duties include fundraising, coordinating volunteers, organizing local groups around the state, acting as liaison for headquarters and Mississippi volunteers. Vanessa is very positive about her internship: “I love it. It’s great experience, and I’m working for something I really believe in.” Southern Studies M.A. candidates worked internships that reflect only a small portion of the diverse professional opportunities available to us: cultural resources management, a variety of museum work, archives work, and documentary work. We also managed to maintain and expand the wide network of collaborative relationships enjoyed by ourselves and the Center. John Haynes