Summer Intern Madness II

As mentioned in previous posts, this summer we are taking time out to introduce our dedicated interns here on the Russell Library blog. In our second installment I give you the dedicated, the delightful, Ashley Domm.

Name: Ashley Domm

Hometown: Rochester, NY

Internship Period: Summer, 2009

What am I doing here at the Russell Library?
During my summer here at Russell I’m researching and writing a script for a temporary exhibit set to be installed in the gallery space within new special collections building [breaking ground in Fall '09] . The general topic is Politics of Social Relations, and through the broad possibilities that came with such a topic we have chosen to present an exhibit about reactions of those resistant to the Civil Rights Movement. The specific focus will be on Georgia politics and social history, within the context of Civil Rights. So far I’ve mainly been researching not only the Movement but the socio-political history of Georgia and the reasons behind action or inaction of those in the state who opposed desegregation, voting rights for African Americans, and the Civil Rights Act. I'm trying to conceptualize how to move this information into an exhibition whose themes will connect the past to the present.

Education:
Undergraduate Degree in History and German from Gettysburg College, Masters Degree in Museum Studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program in Cooperstown, New York.

I knew I was a sucker for history when...
I couldn’t stay out of the history section of any bookstore or library; instead I would spend hours scouring the shelves, finding myself interested in any historical era in any place of the world. After one such biblio-filled encounter, I returned to my college campus and officially declared a history major.

The best part of my internship so far….
… has been reading all the complex and diverging viewpoints from the time period and having brainstorming sessions with staff at the Russell and other advisors.

If I wasn’t spending time in the archives, I would be pursuing a career in…
… women’s rights advocacy. At one point I seriously looked into working or volunteering for feminist activist organizations, one of the few careers I think would be as fulfilling to me other than museum, library, or similar work.

On days off, I’ll be…
… traveling around Georgia touring historic sites, camping, and hiking. I also spend my downtime reading (of course!) and exploring Athens.

In five years I see myself…
… establishing a career within the museum profession, offering diverse, challenging, fantastic, and intriguing exhibitions to the community while learning as much as possible from each story presented therein. History museum, art museum, fun historic house, outdoor sculpture garden, you name it, I would be happy to be a part of any community-oriented institution educating and interpreting cultural heritage for the public.

Post by Jan Levinson, Assistant Outreach Archivist, Russell Library