Internships
Current year internship applications must be received by March 1st. Selections will be notified by March 31st.
***NEWS!!! Thanks to the generosity of Ms. Lois Leyda, a donor to the Eisenhower Foundation which assists the Library and Museum with its programs, financial aid is now available to intern applicants. Owing to Ms. Leyda’s support, the Library, beginning with the 2008 summer intern program, will offer $7.50 an hour to an intern working a minimum of 160 hours, up to a maximum of 400 hours. In order to apply for a Lois Leyda stipend, please see requirement Number (6) in the LIST OF INTERN APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS that follows:
INTERN APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
Required knowledge, skills and abilities include: oral and written communications skills,
knowledge of Twentieth-Century United States or world history, research skills, and basic computer skills. Course work or practical experience in archives administration, information and/or library sciences, while desirable, is not required.
All applicants must submit:
(1) A letter of application that includes an explanation of what their goals would be in serving as an intern at the Eisenhower Library, what formal educational or practical experience they would bring to the internship, and the types of experiences in which they are most interested.
(2) A resume’ listing educational, vocational and other relevant experience and credentials.
(3) A certified current grade transcript from their institution’s registrar.
(4) A letter of recommendation from faculty in the department sponsoring their internship, preferably the faculty member who will be supervising the internship on behalf of the college or university.
(5) Intern finalists are expected to participate in an interview, preferably on-site, although a telephone interview may be arranged in lieu of an on-site visit.
(6) Lois Leyda Internship Stipend: Intern applicants wishing to apply for the Lois Leyda financial aid program must submit a 500-word essay stating why they want to pursue a career in public history, including what interests, knowledge and skills they would bring to the internship experience.
WHAT DOES AN INTERNSHIP WITH THE DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER LIBRARY AND MUSEUM ENTAIL?
ARCHIVAL internships are designed to provide assistance to the Eisenhower Library in the execution of its programs and to expose college students to the archival and museum professions. Successful applicants will have an opportunity to work with original and unique historical documents, learning archival principles and practices while also developing research skills. Duties assigned will involve the five basic archival functions: acquisition and appraisal, arrangement and description, preservation, reference, and public programs.
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EDUCATION interns would assist the education coordinator with the development of educational materials for students in grades two through 12, as well as help with on-site programs.
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MUSEUM internships are designed to engage interns in team and individual projects focused on collection management, conservation, and exhibit development. Students gain career-relevant experience in a Presidential Museum and Historic Home settings while contributing to the work of the institution. While working with the Museum's three-dimensional collection, students gain experience in museum registration, collection documentation, exhibit preparation, and developing public programs for the museum.
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COMBINED INTERNSHIPS , in which interns would work in more than one of the above program areas, are also possible, depending upon the institution’s needs and available staffing for training and supervision.
STUDENT INTERN PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Internships are offered under the National Archives & Records Administration’s student intern program (44 U.S.C. 2105 (d).)
Eisenhower Library internships are uncompensated by Eisenhower Library appropriations. (However, as noted above, each summer beginning in 2008, promising interns will be able to apply for the Eisenhower Foundation’s annual Lois Leyda stipend.)
Upon arrival at the Library, interns must be vetted by a background check including fingerprinting. Interns must be enrolled in an institution of higher education not less than half-time, must not have had a break in studies of more than five months between school years, and must intend to return to school after the NARA internship is completed. The internship itself must be arranged through a for-credit course at his or her college or university. Students who wish to gain experience in archives administration but who do not intend to earn college credit for an internship must apply as a National Archives & Records Administration volunteer. Separate regulations govern the NARA volunteer program.
A student intern agreement between the Library and the intern’s college or university that acknowledges each party’s responsibilities must be signed by all parties. Students must be enrolled for credit. If students are not enrolled for credit but interested in gaining archival experience, they cannot apply for the NARA internship program but, instead, may apply under the terms of the NARA volunteer program.
Submission:
E-mail inquiries should be sent to the Library’s e-mail address: eisenhower.library@nara.gov
Please include "Internships” in the subject line of your e-mail message.
Internship applications must be submitted by March 1st. Selections will be announced by March 31st.
Transcripts and other documentation may be mailed to the Library at the following address:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Library
Attn: Internship Program
200 S.E. 4th Street
Abilene, KS 67410
