History Intern
Location: St. Luke’s Hospital, Cedar Rapids Iowa
Position Type: Part-time Internship (Unpaid)
Time Commitment: Part-time with flexible hours between 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Semester commitments are preferred, but can be adjusted to fit your schedule (including the block plan). Minimum 10 hours per week preferred (per semester).
Candidates: A college student in their sophomore or junior year is preferred if in undergrad. Graduate students are also welcome.
Lunch is provided.
Internship Process
1. All interested should apply by submitting their resume and a cover letter attn.: Angela Berns, Program Manager, Volunteer Services, to Angela.Berns@unitypoint.org
2. Applicants will interview with the volunteer services team to be considered
Internship Offerings - Hospital History
UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s is offering a semester long or summer internship of managing our hospital’s history. In 1881 a critically injured homeless man who was unable to get care in Cedar Rapids inspired a local Episcopal minister to act. The following Sunday, the Rev. Samuel Ringgold made an impassioned plea for a hospital, "a real hospital, so that citizens and strangers alike can be cared for." The next day he and his flock began soliciting donations. Within months, work began on St. Luke’s. St. Luke’s is a 532-bed hospital in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It was founded in 1884 as Cedar Rapids’ first hospital and is now one of two hospitals in Cedar Rapids. The internship will include, but not be limited to; collection care, research, cataloguing and documentation, and visitor services.
Qualifications:
We are looking for a part time intern with a background in history, museum studies, library science, or a similar field. The intern will be helping the Volunteer department organize, photograph, and digitize the hospital’s extensive files connected to the St. Luke’s history.
1. Be able to work independently and follow project plans.
2. Historical document preservation
3. Historical research
4. Data entry
5. Understanding of Data categorization
6. Organization skills
7. Detail oriented
8. Previous collections management coursework or experience is preferred.
9. Strong communication skills.
10. Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.
11. All interns will complete the full volunteer onboarding process
12. Lift up to 50 lbs. or more
Duties will include:
1. Catalogue items in history room, this includes:
a. Sorting documents and items by type and media
b. Assigning a catalog number
c. Recording catalog number and pertinent data on a spreadsheet.
d. Scanning/photographing documents/objects and numbering per catalog.
e. Uploading images to drive.
f. Re-housing documents and materials.
2. Maintain complete collections files, including donor, accession, catalog, condition, and inventory records in accordance with generally accepted museum standards and best practices.
3. Catalog, photograph, and provide for the proper storage and housing of the collections. Pack and transport objects as needed.
4. Maintain the collections database
5. Evaluate collections for conservation treatments
6. Survey storage and exhibit areas for potential environmental or pest problems.
7. Maintain housekeeping plan and lead the regular cleaning and maintenance of exhibit and storage spaces.
Measure of success
The internship will start with a goal planning session where the intern and staff decide upon a goal for the internship. Weekly check in meetings to track progress, ask questions etc.
Supervisor
1. Professor at their school
2. Angela Berns (SL Supervisor for Historians)