This week I have come to know the librarians and curators at the USHMM quite well. I am currently writing my own research paper as well as helping a fellow staff member with his research. The research topic I am discussing in my personal paper focuses on how prejudice, segregation and anti-Semitic ideals have existed long before Hitler's rise to power. I am looking at past laws and regulations against the Jewish people and comparing them to Hitler's treatment of the Jews up to a certain year. My main research focuses on the struggles of the Jews up until 1941 with the implementation of death camps and the Einsatzgruppen. No event in history can compare to those years following. The museum library has more than enough sources on anti-Semitism, starting from the Roman Empire in 70 CE up until anti-Semitism today. The museum also has one exhibit section that discusses the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, an anti-Jewish publication filled with malicious lies about the Jewish people. Published in 1903 the work has been instrumental in fueling the feelings of Jewish hatred and has since then been deemed inaccurate and fabricated, yet is still used today by neo-Nazis and other organizations. Attached to this exhibit is an incredible video of anti-Semitism throughout the millenniums, focusing on the Spanish inquisition, the Protestant reformation (Martin Luther preached many anti-Semitic ideals), and current events. All this research has led to my utmost respect towards Jews and their resilience throughout not just the twentieth century, but throughout thousands of years.
The other research I am partaking in involves the event known as the Orodour-sur-Glane massacre. This was just one massacre that took place in France and resulted in the death of 642 Jews, the youngest being a ten-day old child and the oldest a 91-year-old grandmother. I assisted with finding the names, ages, professions and dates of birth of each victim. In all honesty, the staff member I was working with did most of the research, I mostly helped with typing and organizing the information. This research will be presented at the museum's Day of Remembrance event, held on Yom Hashoah. Yom Hashoah is most commonly known as Holocaust Remembrance Day and takes place every year on the anniversary of the Warsaw ghetto uprising. I was fortunate and able to make an extra copy of the sheet to keep for myself.
Besides my own research, I was also fortunate enough to sit in on a fellowship program. The museum has been amazing in providing various enrichment opportunities for us interns and this fellowship program was one of them. The program I attended was given by a PhD student at American University whose research focused on the Austrian police force, specifically their transition of police law after the Anschluss. After her presentation, a question and comment panel ensued and she could hear feedback and suggestions from Holocaust scholars and historians who work for the museum. It was a surreal and intimidating experience, but an enriching and informative one as well as I was surrounded by a group of scholars all participating in intelligent and insightful conversation. I strive to one day be as well-read and knowledgeable on such topics as these men and women were.
I only have 2 more weeks left at the USHMM and will be sad to leave such an incredible institution, yet am looking forward to the oncoming years of continuous learning and growing.
Friday, April 21, 2017
Friday, April 14, 2017
Survivors and Surviving
This week I have been lucky enough to work one on one with two survivors. One survivor had a granddaughter whose name was Lauren and said until his granddaughter arrived I could fill in. His name was Henry Goldbaum and he was 89 years old. His father died before the war broke out in 1939 and his mother and sisters died upon entering Auschwitz.
The other survivor I was lucky enough to get to know was Jacqueline, when I assisted her facilitation with a group of marines from Quantico. She was born in France and her and her family moved to the unoccupied territory of France once Germany took over. They were saved by the mayor of some small farm town who kept them in hiding and provided them with false identification papers so that they may move freely through the town without question. Jacqueline's brother became depressed starting at a young age. Every member of her nuclear family had survived, but her brother committed suicide when he turned 18. Her happy ending was not as happy as we had expected.
Many of the interns here do not like participating and aiding in the survivor talks because they find it boring; however, I can't understand this. There is no boring story when one listens to a survivor speak, for each talk is one of sorrow, cunningness, miracles, and loss. To say it is boring is taking away the importance of what they have to say. We should all be lucky enough to meet at least one survivor in our lives. They've lived many lives in their lifetime and have many lessons to share, and they are a privilege to know.
As for what I did besides talk with survivors, I learned that I have gotten a handle on my reaction under stress. Today, we had three registered groups of over 80 kids each come in at once all wanting to be the first group inside. Here at the museum, we do fist come first serve with groups. If one group has tickets for 2, another for 2:30 and the 2:30 group gets here first, we would take them before the 2 o’clock group. Chaperones were not happy today and therefore arranging three groups, 2 being dreaded middle schoolers, was no easy feat. I was calm, cool and collected through it and received praise and appreciation from many of the unaggressive chaperones.
Right after handling the groups, I was directed over to 14th street where 2 lines- just as long as the group line- were forming. Everything was running smoothly until one security scanner decided to break down. We now had to figure out how to get the visitors from that broken down line over to the working line without cutting in front of anyone and keeping new visitors from entering. Between me and my boss, we got everyone inside in a timely organized manner by blocking off the working line. Once that line was through, we brought in the people from the broken line, and when they were through we opened the line back up. It was fast, efficient and I felt no stress or panic. My tolerance towards high-stress situations has improved tremendously and I didn't realize it until today.
Because it was truly terribly busy today.
Friday, April 7, 2017
Week 13: Pureness
This week, my faith in humanity was restored and I was
reminded of how innocent and blind children are to race and discrimination. We
received a letter in our employee break room from a mother and her 10 year old
daughter, Maya. Maya was reading a book and did not understand the word Nazi. She proceeded to ask her mom what
it was and her mom gave her a quick lesson on the Holocaust. Maya was
fascinated by this and proclaimed that there should be a museum dedicated to
the Holocaust and her mother told her about us. Now Maya happened to be a girl
scout and told her mom that she would like to send the museum cookies to
brighten our days. “It would be pretty sad to see that; it would be nice if
they could have some free cookies after.” Today was the best morning to receive
those cookies because today was the first day of a long weekend of storms.
After having a few days of beautiful sunny weather, we were greeted this
morning with thunder and a downpour of rain. Already being a pitiful start to
the day and having to be out in the rain to pass out museum tickets, hearing
that there were girl scout cookies in the staff room was the greatest news. And
then reading the letter written by Maya and her mom was the icing on the cake.
Maya’s pure heart could be felt by everyone.
Besides having the great pleasure of receiving that letter, I was able again to participate in another First Person event. This time around, the survivor was Irene Weiss, an Auschwitz survivor. Irene was 13 years old when her, her parents and her five siblings were transferred to Auschwitz from Czechoslovakia. In Czechoslovakia, under Hungarian ,occupation, Irene's hair was shaved when her and her family were moved to a nearby ghetto. Although, Irene attributes this to her survival in Auschwitz becuase during the selection process her mother and younger siblings were sent one way and her and her older sister were sent the other. Unbeknownst at the time, her mother and siblings were sent to the gas chambers, but the scarf worn on her head made her seem older than 13 and therefore the SS officer directed her with the older women. Her father was put in charge of transferring the bodies into the crematorium and was killed after three months of this work. What I did not know was that every three months they usually killed theses workers because the work becomes too much for the men to handle and eventually makes them mentally incapable of continuing. Her father was one of those men. Her sister survived until liberation in 1945, yet died shortly afterwards from starvation and illness. Irene was a lively woman though, and thanked me for assisting with her talk. She said I was important to her because I would go on to retell her story and therefore her family will be remembered through history long after she was dead. So that is what I am doing; retelling her story for all nine of you who actually read this blog. Below is a picture of me complimenting Irene on her fantastic outfit and scarf.
I am using this space to write what was said in Maya's letter because it was so sweet and beautiful. It is written out just as she wrote it, so I'm sorry for the fourth grade sentence structure.
Hi my name is Maya Simons and I am reading Magic Tree House "Danger in the Darkest Hour" (World War II). Holocaust, Hitler, all the people that died. It made me feel really really bad. I thought eating cookies after seeing something sad cookies might make people feel better. 💗"
True pureness and innocence.
Friday, March 31, 2017
Week 12: Safety
When dignitaries enter any location, security and protocol must be tended to first above all else, including visitors and convenience. No matter how many school groups enter at the same time, carrying 100 children a piece, and how angry their chaperones get when they're told to wait, the public must be put on hold to ensure a comfortable and smooth experience for the VIP guest. The particular VIP guest that entered our museum yesterday happened to be the former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich. We were told not an hour before that he would be visiting the museum and fast preparation had to be planned and carried out. As hordes of agents came into the museum leading up to the arrival of Gingrich, school groups and regular visitors had to be tended to last, which was difficult for a staff entirely designed to handle visitors first. We ended up having to bar visitors from entering the main exhibit, creating a surplus of excess students with no place to keep them. The entire lobby and lower level was filled with visitors waiting to enter, and as more visitors joined the line and time passed, our special guest still hadn't arrived. Keeping angry parents and bratty teenagers at bay was the worst part of this whole experience and I, overseeing the lower level, had to call in my CO for backup. Once Mr. Gingrich finally arrived and entered the main exhibit, the only thing left was for us to wait for him to exit. I do not know how much time had passed before he exited the exhibit, but knew he was coming from the large men in suits surrounding the staircase. Mr. Gingrich could be seen right in the middle of his entourage, however if you didn't know who was there, you never would've recognized him. One student on a field trip ran to her school and said that a survivor was walking down the staircase and that was why everyone was stopped and taking pictures. The news spread like wildfire around the school group and beyond, but what they didn't know was that right next to them an actual survivor stood and watched this entire scene unfold.
About ten minutes before Mr. Gingrich came down the steps, I started a conversation with a volunteer also waiting to catch a picture of the Secretary, and we began a discussion about politics. Before I knew it, Rea had told me that she knew all about the power that governments hold. She wouldn't go into much detail, but I did find out that she was from Poland and was very young during the time of the Holocaust, not even being a teenager during the rise of Hitler. However, a survivor none the less, she was a pleasure to talk too. If only these kids had known that not even ten feet away from them was a real survivor open to engage in conversation; me being the only blockade between both parties.
However, safety is not only considered when VIP guests show up at the museum, but from open to closing hours and after. Certain protocols and signals have to be radioed in for special situations: 1080 for a suspicious bag and 1031 for a suspicious person. However, protocols can change when an emergency happens, like when there is a gunman at the Capitol building mere miles down the road.
Yesterday morning as we were welcoming our first arrivals, our supervisor received a call at the group's desk. I had happened to be working groups at that time and saw how his reaction changed from the friendly smile that I know, to a worried frown that I hope to never see again. He pulls me off to the side and tells me that there was a shooting at the Capitol building and multiple people were injured. The last piece of information he shared with me was that they were chasing the gunman down in his car. He told me to be on my guard, but not to tell anyone as to not cause public panic. I spent the next thirty minutes terrified at what might happen if the gunman decided to enter the Museum from his car, as the London incident at Big Ben kept playing in the back of my mind. I saw multiple security officers switch to the front of the museum and our regular bomb sniffing canine was out and about sniffing the trash cans and recycling bins. For visitors just entering, it looked like it was a normal safety check routine, and VS staff did our best to play it off as if nothing was happening. People in the museum already had no idea what was happening outside the museum walls. After a few more minutes. my supervisor returned to update me on the situation. It turned out no one was shot, only an officer was injured by the gunman's vehicle, and that they had caught the guy during the car chase. Knowing all the facts and appreciating the fact that it wasn't as bad as we had thought, the day returned to normal. The bomb dogs came back inside and our security team dispersed. Until Gingrich came later that day.
In the amount of time between hearing the initial news of the shooting and the facts, I have never acted so well in my entire life. Smiling as if I wasn't terrified that we may be next and thinking about all those victims shot. However, we got through it, avoided public panic, and the day continued with no issues. I learned that I must remember where I am, and that with all the history and politics in D.C. comes plenty of targets, either politicians or innocent victims enjoying their visit to the national monuments. One can never put their guard down in a big city.
About ten minutes before Mr. Gingrich came down the steps, I started a conversation with a volunteer also waiting to catch a picture of the Secretary, and we began a discussion about politics. Before I knew it, Rea had told me that she knew all about the power that governments hold. She wouldn't go into much detail, but I did find out that she was from Poland and was very young during the time of the Holocaust, not even being a teenager during the rise of Hitler. However, a survivor none the less, she was a pleasure to talk too. If only these kids had known that not even ten feet away from them was a real survivor open to engage in conversation; me being the only blockade between both parties.
However, safety is not only considered when VIP guests show up at the museum, but from open to closing hours and after. Certain protocols and signals have to be radioed in for special situations: 1080 for a suspicious bag and 1031 for a suspicious person. However, protocols can change when an emergency happens, like when there is a gunman at the Capitol building mere miles down the road.
Yesterday morning as we were welcoming our first arrivals, our supervisor received a call at the group's desk. I had happened to be working groups at that time and saw how his reaction changed from the friendly smile that I know, to a worried frown that I hope to never see again. He pulls me off to the side and tells me that there was a shooting at the Capitol building and multiple people were injured. The last piece of information he shared with me was that they were chasing the gunman down in his car. He told me to be on my guard, but not to tell anyone as to not cause public panic. I spent the next thirty minutes terrified at what might happen if the gunman decided to enter the Museum from his car, as the London incident at Big Ben kept playing in the back of my mind. I saw multiple security officers switch to the front of the museum and our regular bomb sniffing canine was out and about sniffing the trash cans and recycling bins. For visitors just entering, it looked like it was a normal safety check routine, and VS staff did our best to play it off as if nothing was happening. People in the museum already had no idea what was happening outside the museum walls. After a few more minutes. my supervisor returned to update me on the situation. It turned out no one was shot, only an officer was injured by the gunman's vehicle, and that they had caught the guy during the car chase. Knowing all the facts and appreciating the fact that it wasn't as bad as we had thought, the day returned to normal. The bomb dogs came back inside and our security team dispersed. Until Gingrich came later that day.
In the amount of time between hearing the initial news of the shooting and the facts, I have never acted so well in my entire life. Smiling as if I wasn't terrified that we may be next and thinking about all those victims shot. However, we got through it, avoided public panic, and the day continued with no issues. I learned that I must remember where I am, and that with all the history and politics in D.C. comes plenty of targets, either politicians or innocent victims enjoying their visit to the national monuments. One can never put their guard down in a big city.
Friday, March 24, 2017
Week 11: Starstruck
In the past two weeks, I have been given more opportunities than imaginable. I know I say that every week, but each week continues to amaze and surprise me. Seeing as how I've worked at the USHMM for about a month now, I have found what I excel most in and where I lack skills or ambition. I absolutely adore talking to people and telling them what to do. When a group of people listen to my instructions, a sense of all-powerfulness washes over me and I feel just like Oz, the great and powerful wizard. Although I've also realized I do lack the necessary skills to be ordered by people or do favors for them. This is my pride and ego talking. Working in coat check is the worst job I've ever had, solely because my own pride won't allow me to move past the fact that I am acting as a servant to these visitors. Pride is something I have come to acknowledge and am still learning to maintain.
So enough of what I've learned and on to what I've done. Last week I was fortunate enough to receive a 2.5-hour shift working a First Person event. First Person is an event held through Spring and Summer that is both free and open to the public. The event is a conversation with Holocaust survivors, when two times a week different survivors come to recount their stories. It is hosted by journalist Bill Benson and offers time at the end for the audience to ask the survivor questions. The day I worked, I was helping Susan Warsinger give her presentation. I made pamphlets, ushered, and gave assistance to those who had questions when she finished her talk. Susan and her younger brother were smothered out of Germany after the events of Kristallnacht to Paris, France. From Paris, she fled to Versailles and spent a few months as a refugee living in the Palace of Versailles. HIAS, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, found Susan and her brother and they were given permission to go to the United States. They boarded a ship sponsored by the former first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, with fifty other children. Susan told the story with such personality and humor, that the audience couldn't help but instantly fall in love with her.
Than yesterday, an opportunity came that I wouldn't have expected in a thousand years: a movie premier equipped with stars and major Hollywood directors, screenwriters, and authors. The USHMM catered to a crowd of over 400 people who were all there to see the film premier of The Zookeeper's Wife, a new film starring Jessica Chastain about a couple who hid Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto. Not only was I able to see Jessica Chastain, but the author of the book, the director of the movie, and the screenwriter. It was a stunning and extremely inspirational all female team. We were originally told we had the chance to go the event, but we would have to work it. As the event started, my fantastic boss told us to take off our jackets and join the party. We could eat, drink, and socialize with all the attendees. When the movie started, they saved seats for us interns at the very front of the theatre. There was nothing more surreal than watching a movie about an event from the Holocaust inside the National Holocaust Museum and amongst the creators, stars, and Holocaust survivors. The movie doesn't premier until March 31 and I highly encourage anyone reading this to go and watch it. It is a truly amazing film. A taping of the brief panel discussion between the author, director, screenwriter and Chastain- which occurred before the movie- can be found on YouTube.
Thinking that my week couldn't get any better than going to a movie premier, today I had the pleasure in assisting with a survivor facilitation. This was a personal survivor presentation between Ms. Theodora Klayman and a small group of sixth graders. Susan, the survivor I listened to last week, happens to be best friends with Dora and was in the audience to listen to her speak. Dora and her younger brother were smuggled out of Yugoslavia, now Croatia, to a small town on the northern tip. One day, the Nazi's came into their home and took her whole family, but left her and her brother behind. Her parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles all perished in the ongoing years of the Holocaust. As if it couldn't get worse, just as the War was coming to an end, her younger brother died of scarlet fever. These kids were enthralled and moved to tears by her story, as was I. At the end of the facilitation, I talked with Susan and Dora for a few minutes and saw how quickly they acted like young girls together.
Very few interns have been given the chance to witness these talks and I do not know what has made me so lucky, but I thank the universe every day for the opportunities I am given.
I know I have written a lot, but would like to share one more story. Today, while doing my sweep of the Hall of Remembrance, I met a woman and her brother who were both Jewish. We began a conversation about Passover and continued to talk from there. She is what is known as a third-generation Holocaust survivor, as her grandfather lost nine of his kids in the Holocaust. Her father was the only one to survive. In honor of them, she told me that she has nine kids, one for each that Hitler took away. That was a story that really struck a chord and I wanted to share it with all of you.
So enough of what I've learned and on to what I've done. Last week I was fortunate enough to receive a 2.5-hour shift working a First Person event. First Person is an event held through Spring and Summer that is both free and open to the public. The event is a conversation with Holocaust survivors, when two times a week different survivors come to recount their stories. It is hosted by journalist Bill Benson and offers time at the end for the audience to ask the survivor questions. The day I worked, I was helping Susan Warsinger give her presentation. I made pamphlets, ushered, and gave assistance to those who had questions when she finished her talk. Susan and her younger brother were smothered out of Germany after the events of Kristallnacht to Paris, France. From Paris, she fled to Versailles and spent a few months as a refugee living in the Palace of Versailles. HIAS, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, found Susan and her brother and they were given permission to go to the United States. They boarded a ship sponsored by the former first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, with fifty other children. Susan told the story with such personality and humor, that the audience couldn't help but instantly fall in love with her. |
| Starting from right to left: Diane Ackerman (author), Angela Workman (screenwriter), Jessica Chastain (lead actress), and Niki Caro (director) |
Very few interns have been given the chance to witness these talks and I do not know what has made me so lucky, but I thank the universe every day for the opportunities I am given.
I know I have written a lot, but would like to share one more story. Today, while doing my sweep of the Hall of Remembrance, I met a woman and her brother who were both Jewish. We began a conversation about Passover and continued to talk from there. She is what is known as a third-generation Holocaust survivor, as her grandfather lost nine of his kids in the Holocaust. Her father was the only one to survive. In honor of them, she told me that she has nine kids, one for each that Hitler took away. That was a story that really struck a chord and I wanted to share it with all of you.
Friday, March 10, 2017
Week 9: Reflections
This week marked my first week interning without a staff member present to shadow, and if I've learned anything from it, it is that school groups are just the worst. It makes me so thankful that I dropped my education minor and I now fully understand why professors choose to teach college rather than high school or middle school. One of my main jobs is handling large student groups who come to the museum to see our permanent exhibit. When I first orient them, I try to remind them that they are in a memorial museum, and that it is a place to remember, reflect and pay respect to those lives lost in the Holocaust. Although for some reason, students seem to equate this with talking loudly, leaving behind trash, and running in exhibit spaces. I've quickly learned that there is only so many times one can reprimand a group of teenagers. This is probably the most frustrating job that I am in charge of, yet can occasionally be fulfilling. When those occasional students break off from the group and take their time to explore and really understand the exhibit, they leave with a completely different face than those who do not. This I guess can go back to my blog from a few weeks ago about my goals; that if I can change one person's view on history and society, I will have fulfilled my definition of greatness.
And sometimes it happens.
Today though, I was fortunate enough to receive a tour of the Some Were Neighbors exhibit from the curator who created the temporary exhibition. Susan Bachrach, a historian who has been with the USHMM for over 20 years, gave a two-hour tour explaining the reasoning behind setting up the exhibit as she did and how she acquired its artifacts and information. Ms. Bachrach explained how hundreds of hours were spent obtaining the information and stories of the perpetrators, bystanders, and victims with the goal of expanding the Holocaust narrative beyond the basic knowledge of Nazi perpetrators. There were many other people besides those a part of the Nazi party who participated in discriminatory acts, sold out their neighbors or friends, and went against their fellow countrymen. However, the exhibit also shows those who did support and/or aid Jews and other targeted groups. One way Susan set up the exhibit was comparing the act of one man with the act of another. In one area of the exhibition, there is a panel describing the story of one police officer who saved his Jewish neighbors, and one police officer who shipped his Jewish neighbors off to the ghetto. One police officer said he was following orders, while the other said his job was to protect the innocent. This dichotomy between the two officers is just one of many examples throughout the exhibition space. Another part of the exhibit, that I find to be the most interesting, is the murder by bullets section. This area is designated to recalling the murderous acts of the Einsatzgruppen and discusses the number of people who died by bullet, rather than of Zyklon B poisoning, disease, and starvation experienced by those in the camps. It's a different take on victims and perpetrators of those outside the ghettos and camps, that many people tend to overlook or briefly acknowledge.
The museum this week has been crazy busy as Spring breakers and field trips leave us running out of tickets for the permanent exhibition by early noon. With all the people and large groups entering at a single time, the next few months are going to be a test of my patience and my ability to handle responsibilities under stress.
Friday, March 3, 2017
Week 8:Knowledge
USHMM has so many other exhibits and resources that it offers though, besides just the primary exhibit- including a temporary They Were Neighbors exhibit, a Cambodia exhibit, and a face to face video opportunity to talk with a Syrian refugee in real time. This week we were given a tour of both the exhibits, and the new knowledge I have been acquiring is astonishing. I personally didn't know anything about the Cambodian Genocide, yet was completely floored by it. Over two million civilians died in the course of four years, which compared to the Holocaust doesn't seem like many casualties. However, the Holocaust and World War II went on from 1939-1945 and spanned across most of Eastern and Western Europe. Cambodia is a small country in Asia where two million equaled 1/4 of the entire population. This is just the basic knowledge they introduced us too, so I can't imagine how much and what else I will learn in the next three months. Another training we underwent was working with the virtual reality section of the From Memory to Action exhibit. The Museum actually offers a 360-degree virtual reality experience that tells the story of a Syrian refugee and his son. The father narrates the story and the setting constantly changes from his refuge home, to his town that was destroyed, to an overview of Syria, to refugee markets, and so many other places that one can hear, see and feel as if they are there with him. It was my first time test running virtual reality and it is extremely disorienting, where I almost fell of my chair a few times.
This week I was also able to listen to one of over sixty Holocaust survivors partnered with USHMM. The interns and I received a private facilitation with Marty, a Czech survivor of Auschwitz and Mauthausen who lost his parents and six of his eight siblings. His story is one of miracles, as blind luck saved him from death more than once. He spoke about how one day him and some other inmates were forced to dig tunnels when an explosion went off in the tunnel he was working on, yet he was outside going to the bathroom while it happened. Seventy people died in that tunnel and he was the only survivor of the work group. This is just one miracle he received during his time imprisoned.We lastly got to go on a tour of the architecture of the Museum, so if any visitors ask about the design or layout we can provide them with a clear answer. A few fun facts about the Museum include the architect James Ingo Freed who went to the camps in Poland to get inspiration for the layout and design of the four buildings of the Museum, the Hall of Remembrance which is a six sided building representing the six sides of a Jewish star, and a stream of lights on the floor of the Hall of Witnesses which has a gap in the middle. One interpretation is that this line of lights represents a timeline where the lights missing include the years 1933-1945, where mankind is said to have perished. The lights continue after 1945 when humanity returns to the world. Below are a few pictures of some of the architectural points I mentioned, including a model of the Museum and the gap in the lighting.
This week was the end of our training and so starting next Wednesday, I will be a fully independent intern working alongside an amazing and encouraging staff inside a memorable and monumental memorial of those who've lost their lives to genocide.
Friday, February 24, 2017
Week 7: Sanity
I have finally arrived in Maryland and visited the museum for the first time on Tuesday. I had my badging appointment to meet with Mr. Luke Leyh, my supervisor, at 10 AM. Setting my alarm for 5:30, I awoke with my cousins as they began to get ready for school and I for D.C. At 7:30 AM, I left for the Greenbelt metro station to catch the green line to L'Enfant Plaza. A drive that was only supposed to take thirty minutes took almost an hour, for D.C. rush hour begins at 6:30 and goes until around 8. I took I-95 as it was the easiest way to the metro station, but also the most heavily trafficked. After finally arriving at Greenbelt with an hour and a half to get to the Museum, I boarded the yellow line heading to Franconia-Springfield. I originally planned on taking the green line, but hopped on the first metro cart I saw. Luckily, it had similar stops as the green line and I was still able to get off at L'Enfant Plaza.
Interesting fact: It is named L'Enfant Plaza after Pierre L'Enfant who designed the layout for the streets of D.C.
Before heading onto the yellow line though, I had to get my metro card. One cannot board or exit the metro station without it. It costs $2 and acts as a gift card, where you can put any amount of money on it and refill it when it's running low. I did the math and leaving from Greenbelt to L'Enfant and back, plus parking, cost a total of around $6. It is $1.75 one way, and over $2 if you board during rush hour, which unfortunately I did. It also costs $5.10 to park at Greenbelt station. L'Enfant Plaza was the twelfth stop on the line as it took about thirty minutes to arrive, leaving one hour to walk to the Museum. The walk was very simple, as the Museum is right next to the Washington Monument and therefore if one were to head towards the monument, which is not easy to miss, then the Museum will be right beside it. I took Independent Ave all the way down to 15th Street and arrived at the back entrance of the Museum. The walk took about fifteen minutes and I made it 45 minutes early.
After going through security and telling the information desk about my appointment with Mr. Leyh, I was introduced to Mr. Wylee, another one of the intern supervisors. He informed me that he was the man to get to know for connections. He said he would love to help me meet people and explore opportunities, I just have to put in the effort. I figure he will be a good person to get to know and stay in touch with. I was then brought to the employee lounge and met with another one of the Spring interns, Bernice. After introductions ensued, we filled out some basic paperwork and then met with Mr. Leyh. Right off the bat, Mr. Leyh proved to be welcoming and joyous. He led us into another room for our fingerprinting and badge picture, then introduced us to some other staff members and gave us a tour around the Museum, seeing as both Bernice and I have never actually been before. The thing I found most interesting about the staff was that they were all very loud, outgoing and humorous. I assumed that with it being a Holocaust Museum, the atmosphere of the employees would be quiet and somber, but that was not the case. They were still respectful and helpful to the visitors, but were not shy of jokes. The atmosphere was more comfortable and laid back than I had expected, for Mr. Leyh said that no one can work in a depressing atmosphere without becoming depressed themselves. This was their way of staying sane in a place that taught about the insane.
I met a staff member who was an intern in 2015, graduated college in 2016, and then became a part of the staff this year. Working in a museum is not something I envisioned myself doing after graduating, however the atmosphere and positive attitude I experienced made me second guess my career path. I was only there for about an hour and yet they already made a significant impact on me.
Leaving the museum, I retraced my steps back to the L'Enfant metro station and caught the green line to Greenbelt. Driving back to my place, I made it just before rush hour. For some reason, it begins at 3:30 in the afternoon here and goes until 6. My orientation begins next week, and though the trek to the museum proves tedious, getting to work there would be completely worth it.
Interesting fact: It is named L'Enfant Plaza after Pierre L'Enfant who designed the layout for the streets of D.C.
Before heading onto the yellow line though, I had to get my metro card. One cannot board or exit the metro station without it. It costs $2 and acts as a gift card, where you can put any amount of money on it and refill it when it's running low. I did the math and leaving from Greenbelt to L'Enfant and back, plus parking, cost a total of around $6. It is $1.75 one way, and over $2 if you board during rush hour, which unfortunately I did. It also costs $5.10 to park at Greenbelt station. L'Enfant Plaza was the twelfth stop on the line as it took about thirty minutes to arrive, leaving one hour to walk to the Museum. The walk was very simple, as the Museum is right next to the Washington Monument and therefore if one were to head towards the monument, which is not easy to miss, then the Museum will be right beside it. I took Independent Ave all the way down to 15th Street and arrived at the back entrance of the Museum. The walk took about fifteen minutes and I made it 45 minutes early.
After going through security and telling the information desk about my appointment with Mr. Leyh, I was introduced to Mr. Wylee, another one of the intern supervisors. He informed me that he was the man to get to know for connections. He said he would love to help me meet people and explore opportunities, I just have to put in the effort. I figure he will be a good person to get to know and stay in touch with. I was then brought to the employee lounge and met with another one of the Spring interns, Bernice. After introductions ensued, we filled out some basic paperwork and then met with Mr. Leyh. Right off the bat, Mr. Leyh proved to be welcoming and joyous. He led us into another room for our fingerprinting and badge picture, then introduced us to some other staff members and gave us a tour around the Museum, seeing as both Bernice and I have never actually been before. The thing I found most interesting about the staff was that they were all very loud, outgoing and humorous. I assumed that with it being a Holocaust Museum, the atmosphere of the employees would be quiet and somber, but that was not the case. They were still respectful and helpful to the visitors, but were not shy of jokes. The atmosphere was more comfortable and laid back than I had expected, for Mr. Leyh said that no one can work in a depressing atmosphere without becoming depressed themselves. This was their way of staying sane in a place that taught about the insane.
I met a staff member who was an intern in 2015, graduated college in 2016, and then became a part of the staff this year. Working in a museum is not something I envisioned myself doing after graduating, however the atmosphere and positive attitude I experienced made me second guess my career path. I was only there for about an hour and yet they already made a significant impact on me.
Leaving the museum, I retraced my steps back to the L'Enfant metro station and caught the green line to Greenbelt. Driving back to my place, I made it just before rush hour. For some reason, it begins at 3:30 in the afternoon here and goes until 6. My orientation begins next week, and though the trek to the museum proves tedious, getting to work there would be completely worth it.
Friday, February 17, 2017
Week 6: Greatness
Tomorrow I leave to start my journey to D.C. It has been a trying past few weeks waiting for this opportunity to begin, and I am almost to the starting line. Tuesday I am scheduled for my first badging appointment where I will meet Mr. Luke Leyh, my supervisor for the moment being, and will be fingerprinted and given my very own Museum identification. That day will prove to be my first test run on the metro.
I have discussed in great detail the steps I have taken to receive this internship, but have yet to discuss why I chose this program, or perhaps even what I hope to gain from this internship. This week I shall discuss my aspirations and motivation.
When I was little, my grandfather always told me I was meant for great things and that I was going to do something important with my life. I spent a lot of time growing up thinking about what I could do to achieve this seemingly unattainable expectation of greatness, and recently have just begun to figure it out. To make a difference or be great does not necessarily mean one has to be paraded for their achievement or must go through a great feat to obtain said greatness, but could be as simple as learning and passing knowledge onto others. I have become enlightened, if I may say so, to the realization that knowledge is great and powerful, no matter how cliche that sounds. Interning at this museum allows me the chance to continue my studies being surrounded by scholars, victims, archives, evidence, and a number of other resources primary and secondary; having the Library of Congress only a few blocks away as an added bonus. The knowledge gained from this internship will prove to be more knowledge than I can ever hope to gain in a classroom; no offense to the UCF faculty reading this.
However, academic knowledge is not the only type of knowledge I hope to acquire, working in a professional atmosphere, surrounded by many types of people, and situated in our country's capital will also- I hope- teach me many things. And I hope to take these new skills and education with me to spread the word about how dangerous discrimination, prejudice, racism, and any other type of injustice is to people and society. If I can have one person listen to what I have to say and leave with a different perspective than when I first met them, I believe that to be a great act. That person will than in turn change someone else's perspective. In hindsight, it is not just one person whose life I can impact, but a chain of individuals who will hopefully walk away with a new found respect and dignity towards all types of people. I believe this to ultimately be what teachers and professors strive to do every day, and I hope accomplish their endeavor. I know my life was changed by a very special high school teacher, Mrs. Rheingold, whom I took my first Holocaust class with. She encouraged me to volunteer at the Holocaust Museum back home and signed me up for my first trip to Poland and Israel. She impacted me and the way I view the world, and I hope to be that impactful someday.
This internship can open up so many new doors for me, and the people I'll meet and the wisdom acquired will be far greater than I can imagine. I hope to share this passion for justice and equality with everyone I come by. To be surrounded by an entire community of like-minded peoples is going to be quite the adventure.
I have discussed in great detail the steps I have taken to receive this internship, but have yet to discuss why I chose this program, or perhaps even what I hope to gain from this internship. This week I shall discuss my aspirations and motivation.
When I was little, my grandfather always told me I was meant for great things and that I was going to do something important with my life. I spent a lot of time growing up thinking about what I could do to achieve this seemingly unattainable expectation of greatness, and recently have just begun to figure it out. To make a difference or be great does not necessarily mean one has to be paraded for their achievement or must go through a great feat to obtain said greatness, but could be as simple as learning and passing knowledge onto others. I have become enlightened, if I may say so, to the realization that knowledge is great and powerful, no matter how cliche that sounds. Interning at this museum allows me the chance to continue my studies being surrounded by scholars, victims, archives, evidence, and a number of other resources primary and secondary; having the Library of Congress only a few blocks away as an added bonus. The knowledge gained from this internship will prove to be more knowledge than I can ever hope to gain in a classroom; no offense to the UCF faculty reading this.
However, academic knowledge is not the only type of knowledge I hope to acquire, working in a professional atmosphere, surrounded by many types of people, and situated in our country's capital will also- I hope- teach me many things. And I hope to take these new skills and education with me to spread the word about how dangerous discrimination, prejudice, racism, and any other type of injustice is to people and society. If I can have one person listen to what I have to say and leave with a different perspective than when I first met them, I believe that to be a great act. That person will than in turn change someone else's perspective. In hindsight, it is not just one person whose life I can impact, but a chain of individuals who will hopefully walk away with a new found respect and dignity towards all types of people. I believe this to ultimately be what teachers and professors strive to do every day, and I hope accomplish their endeavor. I know my life was changed by a very special high school teacher, Mrs. Rheingold, whom I took my first Holocaust class with. She encouraged me to volunteer at the Holocaust Museum back home and signed me up for my first trip to Poland and Israel. She impacted me and the way I view the world, and I hope to be that impactful someday.
This internship can open up so many new doors for me, and the people I'll meet and the wisdom acquired will be far greater than I can imagine. I hope to share this passion for justice and equality with everyone I come by. To be surrounded by an entire community of like-minded peoples is going to be quite the adventure.
Friday, February 10, 2017
Week 5: Transportation and Accommodation
It is one more week until I leave and the butterflies have started to flutter. I am still in the process of planning transportation to and from the Holocaust Museum, trying to decipher the different lines and stops. Also, my family and I have weighed our options about how we plan on arriving. Plane? Too much luggage. Auto train? Too expensive. So we decided that the best option was to drive up in my car. We went to the Mini dealership to make sure my car was fit to drive the fourteen hours and replaced my tires with the proper tread necessary to drive on ice and snow. My mom said she would ride up with me and then fly back. So we decided we would drive straight through the night without stopping and get there by the 19th of February. That would give me a week to practice mapping out the routes from Maryland to D.C.
Upon our arrival in Maryland, I already have accommodations at my aunt and uncle's house. Though they live in a house with their daughter and two grandkids, they have furnished their sunroom into a bedroom. I have been informed that I will have to use the kitchen bathroom, and shower in the same bathroom as the three other guests; so mornings and evenings may prove difficult. However, it is free housing- and seeing as how I still have to pay rent for my college apartment- it is the best option. Many interns on the internship Facebook page have asked for roommates as they plan on living either in apartments or on the GW campus. Seeing as how housing prices in D.C. are super expensive, I'm curious to see how this will work. I will update in a future blog any information I hear about the living situations in D.C.
With transportation to Maryland and housing all figured out, the last thing left to do is figure out the best way to get from my aunt's house to the Museum. Many have suggested that I take the metro, however the metro has various lines and colors and routes and it proves to be more difficult than expected. Being a native Florida girl who has never had to take a train anywhere, this is going to be one of the most challenging first steps toward my internship. Once I arrive in Maryland, I plan on doing a practice run to rehearse what stops to take and how to reach the museum once the metro arrives in D.C. Though I have most everything else planned out, once I figure out how the metro works, I will be all set to start my internship in the blustery, busy district that is the nation's capital.
Upon our arrival in Maryland, I already have accommodations at my aunt and uncle's house. Though they live in a house with their daughter and two grandkids, they have furnished their sunroom into a bedroom. I have been informed that I will have to use the kitchen bathroom, and shower in the same bathroom as the three other guests; so mornings and evenings may prove difficult. However, it is free housing- and seeing as how I still have to pay rent for my college apartment- it is the best option. Many interns on the internship Facebook page have asked for roommates as they plan on living either in apartments or on the GW campus. Seeing as how housing prices in D.C. are super expensive, I'm curious to see how this will work. I will update in a future blog any information I hear about the living situations in D.C.
With transportation to Maryland and housing all figured out, the last thing left to do is figure out the best way to get from my aunt's house to the Museum. Many have suggested that I take the metro, however the metro has various lines and colors and routes and it proves to be more difficult than expected. Being a native Florida girl who has never had to take a train anywhere, this is going to be one of the most challenging first steps toward my internship. Once I arrive in Maryland, I plan on doing a practice run to rehearse what stops to take and how to reach the museum once the metro arrives in D.C. Though I have most everything else planned out, once I figure out how the metro works, I will be all set to start my internship in the blustery, busy district that is the nation's capital.
Thursday, February 2, 2017
Week 4: History of the Museum
Seeing as how I am getting closer to starting my internship, I will spend this post discussing the history of the museum I will be spending the upcoming months at. All of this information can be found on the Museum's website if interested in researching more about it.
In 1978 under President Carter, an organization was created called the President's Commission on the Holocaust. This was headed by Auschwitz survivor, famed author and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Elie Wiesel. A year after the commission was created, a proposal to create a memorial was pitched. The memorial would have three parts to it: a museum, an educational foundation and a Committee on Conscience. The mission of the Committee would be "To alert the national conscience; influence policy makers, and stimulate worldwide action to confront and work to halt acts of genocide or related crimes against humanity." The Committee was officially created in 1995.
Before construction of the Museum, containers of ash obtained from the death camps and the Warsaw Jewish Cemetery were buried under the soil to remind the public about what the Museum stands for. The street the Museum can be found on was renamed Raoul Wallenberg Street, after a Swedish diplomat who saved thousands of Hungarian Jews during the Holocaust by providing safe houses and passports to those escaping Nazi occupied territory. The architect of the Museum, Mr. James Ingo Freed, was himself affected by the Holocaust. Him and his family were expelled from Nazi Germany in 1939, James being only eight years old at that time. In 1990, during construction of the Museum, two milk cartons containing "pledges of remembrance" from survivors were buried under where the Hall of Remembrance stands today.
On April 26, 1993- fifteen years after the proposal- the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum opened to the public. The Dalai Lama was the first visitor to enter the museum. Four days before the opening, a dedication ceremony was held which included guests such as the Israeli president, Chaim Herzog, President Bill Clinton and Elie Wiesel. Unfortunately, Mr. Wiesel passed away last year; however, his experience- published in his book Night- is read and remembered in classrooms all throughout the country and his story will continue to be told.
The mission of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is "To advance and disseminate knowledge about this unprecedented tragedy; to preserve the memory of those who suffered; and to encourage its visitors to reflect upon the moral and spiritual questions raised by the events of the Holocaust as well as their own responsibilities as citizens of a democracy." This mission is still relevant in today's society, with democracy and morality coming into question within our own government. Though Elie Wiesel and many other survivors since the opening of the Museum have passed, the area is a testament to all they endured and a reminder of what happens when prejudice and hate envelop a country. I am counting the days until I can be apart of such an important institution.
History.com. A+E Networks, 2010, www.history.com/topics/wallenberg-raoul. Accessed 2 Feb. 2017
"Mission Statement." USHMM.com, www.ushmm.org/information/about-the-museum/mission-and- history. Accessed 2 Feb. 2017
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. "History of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum." Holocaust Encyclopedia. https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php? ModuleId=10005782. Accessed on 2 Feb. 2017.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. "Committee of Conscience." Simon-Skjdot Center for the Prevention of Genocide. https://www.ushmm.org/confront-genocide/about/committee-on-conscience-members. Accessed on 2. Feb. 2017
In 1978 under President Carter, an organization was created called the President's Commission on the Holocaust. This was headed by Auschwitz survivor, famed author and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Elie Wiesel. A year after the commission was created, a proposal to create a memorial was pitched. The memorial would have three parts to it: a museum, an educational foundation and a Committee on Conscience. The mission of the Committee would be "To alert the national conscience; influence policy makers, and stimulate worldwide action to confront and work to halt acts of genocide or related crimes against humanity." The Committee was officially created in 1995.
Before construction of the Museum, containers of ash obtained from the death camps and the Warsaw Jewish Cemetery were buried under the soil to remind the public about what the Museum stands for. The street the Museum can be found on was renamed Raoul Wallenberg Street, after a Swedish diplomat who saved thousands of Hungarian Jews during the Holocaust by providing safe houses and passports to those escaping Nazi occupied territory. The architect of the Museum, Mr. James Ingo Freed, was himself affected by the Holocaust. Him and his family were expelled from Nazi Germany in 1939, James being only eight years old at that time. In 1990, during construction of the Museum, two milk cartons containing "pledges of remembrance" from survivors were buried under where the Hall of Remembrance stands today.
On April 26, 1993- fifteen years after the proposal- the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum opened to the public. The Dalai Lama was the first visitor to enter the museum. Four days before the opening, a dedication ceremony was held which included guests such as the Israeli president, Chaim Herzog, President Bill Clinton and Elie Wiesel. Unfortunately, Mr. Wiesel passed away last year; however, his experience- published in his book Night- is read and remembered in classrooms all throughout the country and his story will continue to be told.
The mission of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is "To advance and disseminate knowledge about this unprecedented tragedy; to preserve the memory of those who suffered; and to encourage its visitors to reflect upon the moral and spiritual questions raised by the events of the Holocaust as well as their own responsibilities as citizens of a democracy." This mission is still relevant in today's society, with democracy and morality coming into question within our own government. Though Elie Wiesel and many other survivors since the opening of the Museum have passed, the area is a testament to all they endured and a reminder of what happens when prejudice and hate envelop a country. I am counting the days until I can be apart of such an important institution.
History.com. A+E Networks, 2010, www.history.com/topics/wallenberg-raoul. Accessed 2 Feb. 2017
"Mission Statement." USHMM.com, www.ushmm.org/information/about-the-museum/mission-and- history. Accessed 2 Feb. 2017
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. "History of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum." Holocaust Encyclopedia. https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php? ModuleId=10005782. Accessed on 2 Feb. 2017.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. "Committee of Conscience." Simon-Skjdot Center for the Prevention of Genocide. https://www.ushmm.org/confront-genocide/about/committee-on-conscience-members. Accessed on 2. Feb. 2017
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Week 3: The Interview
Last week I discussed
the application process for this specific D.C. internship, and figured this
week I would talk about the next step: the interview. The first thing everyone
should know is that the response time is not immediate from the day you submit
the application to the day you receive an email saying that you either did or
did not get an interview. I submitted my application in early October and found
out the Wednesday before Thanksgiving that I was chosen for a phone interview
that next week. So do not get discouraged if a month passes and you still do
not hear from them. I scheduled my interview
for a day and time when I knew I would be free and someplace quiet. Do not
schedule an interview time for an hour before your class starts, you do not
want to feel pressured or rushed during the interview. I spent a few days
before the interview preparing my answers to all the basic interview questions
I assumed they would ask:
Why do you want to intern at this museum? Why should we choose you among other applicants for this internship?
I created a list of all of the qualifications and experiences I wanted to mention in the interview so I didn't forget any vital information that could win me the internship. The list included the number of Holocaust survivors I met, the names of the Survivors I interviewed, the camps I visited in Poland, the museums I volunteered at and what I specifically did in those museums. This really kept my mind clear from roaming because I didn’t have to pause and think about an answer. The interviewer called me at exactly the time I was scheduled for and the first thing he did was discuss what position I was interviewing for and the jobs I would be performing in that internship. Once I said that I understood the position, he moved onto the questions.
They did ask the basic questions I mentioned above, so be prepared to tell them what you can bring to the museum and make sure to complement the museum's offerings; such as the large archives or their Passport project. It's good to let them know that you are familiar with the place and what they have to offer, so that you can tell visitors. They also asked how I deal with children and, due to my education minor background and the many hours of service I spent in schools, I was able to give an answer that pleased my interviewer. They also asked if I am okay with lifting heavy objects weighing up to 25 pounds. Seeing as how my job on campus is delivering packages to on-campus students, I was able to tell him that I have carried TVs and printers before and that 25 pounds would not be an issue. As the interview went on, he began to ask deeper questions, including "Would you be able to emotionally handle working at the museum?" I told him of my time visiting the concentration and death camps in Poland and that if I can get through that, I can get through ten weeks of working at the museum. He then asked the what if questions:
What if a visitor came up to you and asked you a question that you did not know the answer too? I said I would give my best answer, but direct them to the many resources the museum has to offer to answer their question, including the museum's website. This seemed to be the answer they were looking for,
I heard back from the museum exactly two weeks after the interview after receiving a call asking if I was still interested. I practically screamed that I was, and was told that I would hear from someone in a few days about the next steps. It took a month to hear from someone. I was so nervous that they decided not to give the internship me, that I ended up having to call them before my school's add/drop deadline to know if I should withdrawal from my classes. Do not be afraid to take initiative and email or call if you have any questions or concerns, everyone I spoke with was super nice and understanding.
Why do you want to intern at this museum? Why should we choose you among other applicants for this internship?
I created a list of all of the qualifications and experiences I wanted to mention in the interview so I didn't forget any vital information that could win me the internship. The list included the number of Holocaust survivors I met, the names of the Survivors I interviewed, the camps I visited in Poland, the museums I volunteered at and what I specifically did in those museums. This really kept my mind clear from roaming because I didn’t have to pause and think about an answer. The interviewer called me at exactly the time I was scheduled for and the first thing he did was discuss what position I was interviewing for and the jobs I would be performing in that internship. Once I said that I understood the position, he moved onto the questions.
They did ask the basic questions I mentioned above, so be prepared to tell them what you can bring to the museum and make sure to complement the museum's offerings; such as the large archives or their Passport project. It's good to let them know that you are familiar with the place and what they have to offer, so that you can tell visitors. They also asked how I deal with children and, due to my education minor background and the many hours of service I spent in schools, I was able to give an answer that pleased my interviewer. They also asked if I am okay with lifting heavy objects weighing up to 25 pounds. Seeing as how my job on campus is delivering packages to on-campus students, I was able to tell him that I have carried TVs and printers before and that 25 pounds would not be an issue. As the interview went on, he began to ask deeper questions, including "Would you be able to emotionally handle working at the museum?" I told him of my time visiting the concentration and death camps in Poland and that if I can get through that, I can get through ten weeks of working at the museum. He then asked the what if questions:
What if a visitor came up to you and asked you a question that you did not know the answer too? I said I would give my best answer, but direct them to the many resources the museum has to offer to answer their question, including the museum's website. This seemed to be the answer they were looking for,
I heard back from the museum exactly two weeks after the interview after receiving a call asking if I was still interested. I practically screamed that I was, and was told that I would hear from someone in a few days about the next steps. It took a month to hear from someone. I was so nervous that they decided not to give the internship me, that I ended up having to call them before my school's add/drop deadline to know if I should withdrawal from my classes. Do not be afraid to take initiative and email or call if you have any questions or concerns, everyone I spoke with was super nice and understanding.
Thursday, January 19, 2017
Week 2: The Application Process
Happy weekend everyone! Seeing as how I have not started my internship yet- three more weeks- I figured I would take this week to explain the process of applying for this D.C. internship. It was a very straight forward, simple application process and I was able to complete the entire document during my work hours.
The first step is seeing what the museum has to offer, this goes for internships and volunteer opportunities. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has an amazing website full of articles and information about much of the Holocaust. It is actually just a great website to visit in general if anyone is looking for information on certain topics or subtopics of the Holocaust. By going to USHMM.org, clicking on the menu option at the top left of the screen and scrolling down to career and volunteer opportunities, you will be directed to a web page providing three options: Careers, Internships and Volunteering. Unfortunately, due to the new semester of interns, information on internships is closed until March. Some of the internship opportunities I remember off the top of my head are library science, collections management, outreach, and the one I was chosen for: visitor services. However, there are at least ten more options available for applicants to choose from.Once the options have been looked over and you understand what an internship entails, such as the minimum ten-week commitment and the age requirement, then you can go to the application section of the internship page.The first few questions are the average name, age, residency questions. The six other students I will be interning with this semester are from all over the country!
Next, they ask for two personal references, this is different from professional references. I used a family friend who owns his own business and a teacher that I have stayed in contact with over the past several years. Later on in the application they will ask for professional references, and though not mandatory to fill out, I highly recommended submitting at least two for it could increase the chances of acceptance. For these, I used my supervisor at the Holocaust museum in Maitland, my supervisor at the museum in Naples I used to volunteer at, and my employer on campus. I was fortunate to have more experience than most. The next few questions pertain to availability and areas of interest, which is where the research from the beginning comes in handy. They list all of the available positions and allow you to choose as many as your heart desires. I recommend choosing as many as possible without seeming to eager, so that you paint yourself as flexible and open to trying new things. The next couple questions ask about your education, where you go to school, your GPA, and any relevant courses taken and passed (passed being the key word). They do ask for grades, so I suggest leaving any class with a C or lower off the list. As mentioned in my first blog post, many of the classes offered at UCF were great to add to the list, and something the museum brought up in my interview. The whole point of the application is to prove your qualifications, the phone interview proves your passion.
Luckily, there are no letters of recommendation required for this internship even though most internships ask for them. I had two letters on hand just in case, one from my supervisor at the Maitland Holocaust Museum and one from a Holocaust teacher I had a few years back. The last few things they ask are basic interview questions: how did you hear about the internship and why are you interested?
The application process is your first impression, which is why taking your time and mentioning all of your experiences, education and assets is crucial. It is important to keep in mind that the question isn't what can the museum do for you, but what can you do for the museum? How will them choosing you over all other applicants be beneficial to them in the long run?
The first step is seeing what the museum has to offer, this goes for internships and volunteer opportunities. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has an amazing website full of articles and information about much of the Holocaust. It is actually just a great website to visit in general if anyone is looking for information on certain topics or subtopics of the Holocaust. By going to USHMM.org, clicking on the menu option at the top left of the screen and scrolling down to career and volunteer opportunities, you will be directed to a web page providing three options: Careers, Internships and Volunteering. Unfortunately, due to the new semester of interns, information on internships is closed until March. Some of the internship opportunities I remember off the top of my head are library science, collections management, outreach, and the one I was chosen for: visitor services. However, there are at least ten more options available for applicants to choose from.Once the options have been looked over and you understand what an internship entails, such as the minimum ten-week commitment and the age requirement, then you can go to the application section of the internship page.The first few questions are the average name, age, residency questions. The six other students I will be interning with this semester are from all over the country!
Next, they ask for two personal references, this is different from professional references. I used a family friend who owns his own business and a teacher that I have stayed in contact with over the past several years. Later on in the application they will ask for professional references, and though not mandatory to fill out, I highly recommended submitting at least two for it could increase the chances of acceptance. For these, I used my supervisor at the Holocaust museum in Maitland, my supervisor at the museum in Naples I used to volunteer at, and my employer on campus. I was fortunate to have more experience than most. The next few questions pertain to availability and areas of interest, which is where the research from the beginning comes in handy. They list all of the available positions and allow you to choose as many as your heart desires. I recommend choosing as many as possible without seeming to eager, so that you paint yourself as flexible and open to trying new things. The next couple questions ask about your education, where you go to school, your GPA, and any relevant courses taken and passed (passed being the key word). They do ask for grades, so I suggest leaving any class with a C or lower off the list. As mentioned in my first blog post, many of the classes offered at UCF were great to add to the list, and something the museum brought up in my interview. The whole point of the application is to prove your qualifications, the phone interview proves your passion.
Luckily, there are no letters of recommendation required for this internship even though most internships ask for them. I had two letters on hand just in case, one from my supervisor at the Maitland Holocaust Museum and one from a Holocaust teacher I had a few years back. The last few things they ask are basic interview questions: how did you hear about the internship and why are you interested?
The application process is your first impression, which is why taking your time and mentioning all of your experiences, education and assets is crucial. It is important to keep in mind that the question isn't what can the museum do for you, but what can you do for the museum? How will them choosing you over all other applicants be beneficial to them in the long run?
Thursday, January 12, 2017
Introduction
Hello to everyone and thank you for taking the time to read this blog! My name is Lauren Geller and I am currently in the final semester of my junior year at UCF. I have recently been given the amazing opportunity to partake in a 10 week long internship program at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC starting February 28th. Myself, along with six other interns from across the country, will be representing the Museum Services Operation Department responsible for managing visitor services, group schedulings, volunteer services and providing further support to the museum where needed. Though unpaid, the experience and knowledge gained will be reward enough.
My future plans upon graduation are still being determined, but I hope this internship will open me up to new opportunities and choices of future career paths, and the connections I make will hopefully lead to job offers or other internship opportunities. Though majoring in History as a general subject, my interest lies in Holocaust and Genocide Studies specifically. I have recently taken up a minor in Judaic Studies to learn about the persecution of the Jewish people and their heritage before and after World War II and the rise of Hitler. UCF has been super helpful in offering classes that parallel my intended interest, including classes on Nazism and Fascism, the rise of Hitler, and Literature in the Holocaust. I believe this education to truly be one of the reasons I was chosen among hundreds of applicants for the internship.
However, no matter how many times I study or read or watch about this terrible era of human history, the pain never seems to disappear; it just becomes numb. One question the Museum asked in my phone interview was, "Will you be able to handle emotionally your surroundings?" I don't think any decent human being can say that they aren't emotional when it comes to this subject area, even those who have studied and researched it their whole lives. It's a personal and real horror that many can't understand or grasp no matter how much time or research one spends in the topic. This is why the Museum, and all Holocaust museums, are so important to society and to people. Educating people about what the horrors of discrimination and prejudice can bring about and telling the stories of those lives taken by such, is the closest thing the general public can learn about human nature. This is what the internship means to me and why it is so important; reminding people what hate can cause by providing proof and resources for those interested and willing to look, ask questions and understand.
My future plans upon graduation are still being determined, but I hope this internship will open me up to new opportunities and choices of future career paths, and the connections I make will hopefully lead to job offers or other internship opportunities. Though majoring in History as a general subject, my interest lies in Holocaust and Genocide Studies specifically. I have recently taken up a minor in Judaic Studies to learn about the persecution of the Jewish people and their heritage before and after World War II and the rise of Hitler. UCF has been super helpful in offering classes that parallel my intended interest, including classes on Nazism and Fascism, the rise of Hitler, and Literature in the Holocaust. I believe this education to truly be one of the reasons I was chosen among hundreds of applicants for the internship.
However, no matter how many times I study or read or watch about this terrible era of human history, the pain never seems to disappear; it just becomes numb. One question the Museum asked in my phone interview was, "Will you be able to handle emotionally your surroundings?" I don't think any decent human being can say that they aren't emotional when it comes to this subject area, even those who have studied and researched it their whole lives. It's a personal and real horror that many can't understand or grasp no matter how much time or research one spends in the topic. This is why the Museum, and all Holocaust museums, are so important to society and to people. Educating people about what the horrors of discrimination and prejudice can bring about and telling the stories of those lives taken by such, is the closest thing the general public can learn about human nature. This is what the internship means to me and why it is so important; reminding people what hate can cause by providing proof and resources for those interested and willing to look, ask questions and understand.
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