Tag Archives: internships

Rita Davenport, a UB history major who completes the program this semester, is finishing on a high note with an internship at the Baltimore Museum of Industry.

Her main project at the BMI is documenting a backlog of historical objects.  Recently, she has been using a database called Past Perfect to catalog products from Domino Sugar.  As we all know, Domino Sugar has played a huge role in Baltimore’s industry.

Recently, the museum received a donation of four larges boxes full of Domino Sugar products such as boxes, coffee creamer, cinnamon shakers, coffee mugs, plush animals, sugar cubes, water bottles, and hats.  Rita gave each of these objects a number, then labeled them with the number somewhere on the bottom(so it doesn’t show on display).  She used a special archival pen.  Rita says, “I photograph all angles of each object.  I then catalog each object with their number into our database… I upload a photo for each object and describe the object itself and its condition.”  In that way, the material history of Domino Sugar can be preserved for future scholars.

Rita finished the four boxes on Wednesday, February 7.  This was her first completed task as an intern and she says she is “thrilled to finally be working in the field.”  In the fall, Rita heads to a graduate program in public history.

UB Public History Student Ashley Tippie Curates New Exhibit at Mt. Clare

Ashley Tippie introduces visitors to Mt. Clare’s parlor where portraits are draped for the mourning period.

University of Baltimore history major Ashley Tippie has created a new exhibit at Mt. Clare Museum House  in Southwest Baltimore City. “Mt. Clare in Mourning” explores the ways that English colonists and enslaved African Americans marked the deaths of their loved ones in the 18th century. In the course of her research, Ashley and museum director Rose Gallenberger found  a mourning ring that had been hidden in a ring box for generations.

In preparing the house-wide exhibit, Ashley researched the mourning jewelry in Mt. Clare’s collection.

On October 7 Ashley led a tour she had developed  that focussed on the material culture of death and dying in the colonial period. The exhibit runs from October 9 to October 29.

Ashley is pursuing an undergraduate history degree with a specialization in public history. She is currently enrolled in Professor Josh Davis’ course, Introduction to Public History. The Baltimore area provides many opportunities for internships at museums, historic houses, and archives.

Professor Elizabeth Nix went on Ashley’s specialized tour on Saturday, October 7. Museum director Rose Gallenberger added to the interpretation.

History Senior Completes Internship at Sports Legends Museum

History Major Brian Jeffries had a great experience with his internship at the Sports Legends Museum in Baltimore.  The museum, located just next to Oriole Park, fills the old Camden train station, and contains artifacts and interactive exhibits related to athletics in Maryland, including native son Babe Ruth.

Faculty members in the History program at UB have long known that Jeffries’ first love is sports, whether present or past.  He said he really enjoyed helping to preserve sports history at the museum, working with artifacts, and museum staff.  Students who are interested in public history can gain good experience by interning or volunteering at the wide array of museums around the city.