Elisabeth Bodin, history major with a concentration in global history and a minor in Native American and Indigenous studies
Where is your summer internship, and what is your title?
I am the Education Intern with the 1882 Foundation, located in Washington D.C.'s Chinatown. We also took a few day's trip to Philadelphia to visit their Chinatown and participate in the 2024 OCA National Convention.
What are your main responsibilities on the job?
At 1882, I work on creating educational materials for local school districts on Asian-American history, with a focus on Chinese-American communities in and around Washington, DC. Alongside the other interns, we worked on a presentation/discussion on local Asian-American history held in July. I am also conducting readings on Chinatowns/Chinese-American history, volunteering at local events, and assisting in event preparation.
How have your George Mason courses contributed to your success in your current internship?
Coursework has been truly helpful in laying the foundation for my internship. Most of my classes invite students to broaden their understandings of the past, and this encouragement of expanding how we learn about history impacts how I create educational material. Many professors have also encouraged more hands-on means of learning about and for sharing history prior, and I feel this undoubtedly enhanced my internship experience.
While discussing my coursework at George Mason, I would also like to give a shout out to my professors at Northern Virginia Community College, where I completed an associate's of science in education. The classes I took in relation to both history and education truly prepared for this internship, from on-site experience with public history and educational practices.
How did you find your internship?
I found out about the 1882 Foundation through a newsletter sent from the George Mason University Chinese Program that included current opportunities for students. My hopes are to work in K-12 education, and one of my primary areas of study is Chinese and Chinese-American history. I was immediately intrigued by the education program as it directly fit into my interest in diversifying the way in which we teach American history.
What is the most valuable lesson you learned as an intern?
Stay connected with the community I'm working in, and not simply in "building my network". In my previous internship at the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art, I didn't feel I took advantage as much of building a working relationship with the people around me, and I can see the difference now that I am. If you've built a healthy working relationship with your mentors or fellow interns, you gain more support in your day-to-day work, and hopefully, you'll even find friends who you can connect with again once your internship days have long past.
What advice would you give CHSS students about getting the most out of their internship?
Take advantage of every opportunity possible while you intern. Whether you intern more locally or abroad, you should explore the locality of your internship. Ask your mentors to tell you all the different elements of work or opportunities you can take part in while you intern. You only have so much time in the internship—live it to your fullest!
August 30, 2024