Sunday, September 4, 2016

Graduate Assistant in State Historical Society of Missouri Research Center

Currently, I am the graduate assistant for the history department in The State Historical Society of Missouri’s research center on Southeast Missouri State University’s campus in Cape Girardeau. I have been in this position since January 2015. It has been a very rewarding and enjoyable experience. Through this opportunity, I have had many experiences and made several contacts that will help me in my future career.

For me, the best parts include the daily routine of assisting researchers and working with the collections.  This experience will help my future career because it has given me hands-on experience.  It is always great to help a genealogist find a lost relative or a student with their research paper.  And assisting the center’s archivist with collections has given me the opportunity to prepare collections for researchers.  I have made important contacts in my role as the graduate assistant in this office.  For example, when Missouri Preservation had its 2015 conference in Cape Girardeau, I administered the State Historical Society’s exhibit table, meeting preservation professionals.  There have been several great experiences and learning opportunities here as well.  During my term as graduate assistant, the Historical Society hired an archivist for the Cape Girardeau center.  The center has evolved into a busy research center implementing standard archival procedures for existing collections.    

By having this job while I was in graduate school, I know when I apply for positions in the future I will have experiences and contacts that will help me.  The knowledge and hands-on experience I have gained in standard archival procedure and reference assistance have provided me with experience I can put on my resume.  This position has opened the door to my future career.     

           


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