When I first applied to the Rockefeller Archive Center internship, I didn’t know what to expect. All I knew was that a librarian at my school (CCNY) recommended I apply. I have always been a very curious person, so when she told me about how she became an archivist and there was an opportunity of possibly interning at the RAC, I was intrigued. I spoke to my career advisor and learned more about the application process. After hearing about it in more depth I decided to apply. I was super excited to start the internship.
I still remember my first day, I was quite nervous, especially since I was going upstate to Tarrytown for the first time. Once I arrived, I was greeted by my supervisor, Marissa, and had the opportunity to jump in right away by joining an audio-visual workshop. I learned to cut film, learned about the different types of film materials, and how best to preserve film. This is just one of the cool experiences I got to be a part of.
One of my biggest takeaways from the internship was learning about the exhibit process. I didn’t know what an exhibition was, nor what went into it until I got to work with the Research and Engagement on the process of putting one together. I worked specifically with Andrea, Project Associate, and Nathaniel, Exhibits and Outreach Assistant, on curating the exhibition and helping reshelving the documents. Through this experience, I learned a lot about how the collections are preserved and how research is a big part of the exhibit process.
Another big takeaway was learning about the different roles of working in an archive. I got the chance to meet with some of the teams at the RAC, including Collections Management, Processing, Digital Strategies, and Research and Engagement. Every team has a role to play in making sure that the documents are being preserved and accessed and that the work connects with the mission of the Rockefeller Archive Center.
I was fortunate to get to the opportunity to process a collection. This was one of my projects I inquired about after meeting with the Processing team. Processing a collection, I found, was very time-consuming, focused work, and it was a great way to learn new content. For my project I processed the Alta Starr papers related to the Ford Foundation. I learned a lot about the non-profit work that the Ford Foundation supports and connects with.
Lastly, I found great value in the connections I made with the staff. It was meaningful to learn about their individual journeys to their positions. I was especially inspired by the Digital Strategies team members’ variety of interdisciplinary backgrounds that were not connected to the field they are in today. For example, one of the team members has an advertising background and found that his experience in advertising gave him a lot of interpersonal skills that most jobs don’t always give. This showed me how my degree and internship opportunities like this one will equip me with skills I can use in the future no matter where my path takes me.
Overall, I found this internship to be a valuable experience. I hope to continue to foster my relationship with the RAC and to continue learning about archives.