Crane House & Historic YWCA from the Meadow

Montclair History Center (MHC) has once again welcomed a dynamic group of summer interns to help with research, collections, educational, and administrative tasks to help accomplish our core values: Preserve. Educate. Share.

While our organization is small, our goals and passions are mighty, and we are grateful for the contributions each of these interns is making. Our summer interns bring personality, insight, diversity of study, and commitment to the organization. We are happy to highlight each individual and their contributions and endeavors.

Quayannah Lane joins us as a Staff Intern through the Eleven+ organization. “I am a Physics Engineering Major at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. My dream job is to be a lead Research Scientist or an Aerospace Engineer,” says Quayannah.

As a student pursuing science education, we asked Quayannah what led her to apply to MHC. “I decided to pursue an internship with Montclair History Center to gain transferable skills and a unique perspective when it comes to research and administration work. Engaging in an administration internship can help broaden my skill set beyond technical knowledge.

Learning administrative tasks such as organization, communication, and management can be valuable in any career path. Gaining professional experience in any field can be beneficial, especially during the early stages of a career. I was curious about other fields, and this internship offered me a chance to explore different areas of interest. Working at a history center allows me as a physics engineering student to learn about preservation, curation, and historical research. This was also an opportunity to network and build professional connections, which can be valuable for my future career growth.”

When asked what advice she would give to people who are interested in interning at a museum, Quayannah said: “No matter what you're studying, if you have the opportunity, you should definitely take it. I was fortunate enough to get this opportunity in my home state so I can see the history and culture of NJ outside of things that are mentioned in school.”

Eleven+ connects nonprofit organizations with promising young talent and provides equitable pay for the interns. For more information on the Eleven+ program follow the link below:

https://www.eleven-plus.org/about

Nicholas Muller has been an intern and volunteer with MHC since 2021. His focus has been on the collection of materials from the 1896 Shultz House (aka Evergreeens), a historic Montclair property that was built and occupied by multiple generations of a single Montclair family for one hundred years, operated by MHC as a house museum from 1998-2020, and de-accessioned by MHC in 2021. “I am currently working towards a MA of Information with a concentration in Archives and Preservation from Rutgers University. I graduated last year with a BA from Montclair State University,” shares Nicholas. “My dream job would be to work with the literary manuscripts of a writer such as William Wordsworth or John Keats. I've always been interested in the English Romantics, and I would love to have a hand in preserving their legacy.”

What advice does Nicholas have for people interested in museum internships? “Find one that has a collection that they are passionate about. I think that having a genuine interest in a museum's materials and mission is a necessary part of a rewarding internship.”

Valerie Saporito has been with us since spring 2023. Valerie is also one of the counselors for this year’s Farm Camp. “I have a BA in History and am applying to grad schools to get my MA in Museum Studies,” shared Valerie. “My dream job is to do some type of museum work because I am passionate about making history accessible to the general public.”

While discussing favorite assignments over the last few months, Valerie highlighted: “One project that I really enjoyed working on was the census project, in which I researched different Crane servants/laborers, because I like doing genealogical research and uncovering details about people’s lives.” On the experience of working in a smaller organization like MHC, Valerie offered: “One piece of advice I would give is to be open to doing anything, especially if you want to intern at a smaller museum. This is one way to build your skillset and get exposed to the different aspects of museum work.”

Ethan Wojciechowski joined MHC as a 2023 summer intern. “I just graduated with a B.A. in History at Seton Hall University in 2022 and am currently pursuing a MA Museum Studies. Afterwards, I plan on also getting my Ph.D. in History!”

“I decided to pursue an internship with the Montclair History Center because I wanted to understand what it meant to work at a place concerned with the preservation and telling of history. Luckily, Montclair is not only a beautiful town, but a place filled with endless figures, events, places, and moments important in the history of New Jersey and the United States. Use it as an opportunity to examine your professional desires. In other words, take it as an opportunity to see if you really want to work in the museum field. Learn the pros and cons of working in the field, and take the chance to see if the pros mean more than the cons.”

Olivia Fisher joined us in the late spring and continued into the fall as an intern. While Olivia joins us as an intern this year, MHC is not brand new to her. “In 2009, my Second Grade Girl Scout troop visited the Crane and Schultz homes and I became obsessed with local history, especially Essex County,” Olivia shared. “I always knew I would study something pertaining to history and culture and that the MHC would be a good place for me to work with and learn more about local history.” When asked if there was anything that surprised her about being an intern at MHC compared with the experience she had as a visitor, Olivia noted the collections. “What surprised me the most was the assortment of records and artifacts they have. Another surprising thing was getting to go to the top floor of the Crane and Historic YWCA House and seeing how large it is and finding a hatch to the roof. You can see it on Google Maps too.”

Olivia graduated from George Washington University with a degree in Anthropology and is now pursuing a MA with a concentration in Museum Training. “My dream job would be to help start a historical society or history center for Essex County,” she said. “Essex County is the Birthplace of the Industrial Revolution in the US (according to Congress), where the first motion picture was filmed, home to the first Chinatown on the East Coast, and that only scratches the surface. In general, I’d love to be working with local history, especially in North Jersey.”

Arielle Stephens joined MHC in fall 2022 as a Museum Educator for our elementary field trip programs. Arielle received her B.A in History from Grand Valley State University and now pursues an M.A. in Museum Professions at Seton Hall University. This summer Arielle has been a Collections Intern, working closely with MHC Collections Manager, Erin Benz.