Stevenson Public History majors helped the National Park service at Hampton Historic Site near Towson, Maryland. The mansion was once the largest home in North America.
On a Saturday in late October, Stevenson’s Public History program was called on to help the National Park Service. Hampton National Historic Site was in need of docents to interpret rooms within the mansion for visitors. Our Public History volunteers were very much appreciated!
Alex, a senior in the Public History program at Stevenson, helps a young visitor understand the room she is in. Working with visitors is second nature for Alex since her internship was at Monocacy National Battlefield with the National Park Service.
Hampton holds its harvest festival each year, and it is always very well attended by the public. Even with additional Rangers on duty, the NPS has a hard time ensuring visitors have the quality experience they expect from the National Park Service. Stevenson’s Public History majors are called to work alongside NPS personnel, and to provide tours and answer visitors’ questions.
Our second Alex, a first year Public History major, receives her baptism by fire. Only two months into the program and she is working in the big leagues alongside the National Park Service!!!
An important feature of Stevenson’s Public History program is our commitment to experiential education–learning by doing. Our majors learn not only in the classroom, but at public history venues as well. Venues where they may eventually intern, and possibly work after graduation.
Third year majors, Steph and Caroline, are a dynamic duo covering a large room together. Steph will be doing an internship with the Smithsonian Institution in Spring 2019. Caroline was invited to give a paper last spring at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR). For that, Caroline earned an all expenses paid trip to Oklahoma City, paid for by the University.
By committing to help the National Park Service and other public history organizations, our students learn the power of service learning in an authentic environment. Within the field of history, no other undergraduate program is engaging its students in original research, public performance, experiential learning, and community service the way we do at Stevenson. At Stevenson University, our students make history every day.