Internships

Each student must complete a 12 week full-time internship in their summer term. Host institutions can include museums, archives, TV, film or documentary companies, historical and genealogical societies, heritage and museum consulting firms, historical research companies, or government departments such as Parks Canada or Library and Archives Canada.

We are an approved Public Service Commission co-operative program, facilitating the hiring of students by federal government agencies for work terms. See here for more information.

Objectives

Internships are your opportunity to:work and learn under the mentorship of experienced public history professionals

apply theory to real-life public history work settings
continue practicing skills taught during the year or learn a new transferable skill
explore the broad field of public history
network with other public history professional
build your portfolio and increase your success in the job market after graduation

Location, Location, Location

We encourage our students to choose an institution and location that best suits their career goals and interests. There is much flexibility in the design and terms of the internship: it may consist of one full-time placement or two shorter or part-time positions under different hosts; one major project or a number of smaller tasks; work with an individual or a small or large institution; and it may be served locally or elsewhere. In the past, our interns have worked across Canada, from Newfoundland to the Yukon, and everywhere in between. They have also worked internationally, at institutions such as the Centre for New Media and History at George Mason University in Virginia, and the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. The Internship Coordinator will assist students in securing internships, but finding one appropriate to an individual student's situation and needs will be the student's responsibility.

Evaluation

This is a full-credit course in which students will be graded on a Pass/Fail basis. In order to receive a Pass, a student must meet several criteria over the term of the course in addition to completing the equivalent of twelve weeks full-time work in the field of public history. These are: a work plan, a positive evaluation from the student's site supervisor, and a final report.

Funding

Whether your internship is paid or unpaid, each student receives a portion of their Western Graduate Research Scholarship during the summer. The Lambton County Fellowship provides support for internships relating to the history of oil in Lambton County and is usually hosted by museums in that area. The United Empire Scholarship for Local History provides financial support for research on local history in south- western Ontario, which may be relevant to some internships. Students returning to Western are eligible to apply for the RBC Student Community Service Project Grant. We also facilitate applications to Accelerate Canada, a grant program which matches host institution funds for graduate student internships at for-profit companies such as consulting firms or corporate archives.

Summer 2012

Sushima Naraine, Canadian Cancer Society, 75th Anniversary Project, Toronto, Ontario; and the Multicultural History Society of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario
Lindsay Vandyk, Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Dave Sikkema, JP Metras Sports Museum, Western University, London, Ontario
Adriana Ayers,History of Surgery in Canada Project, Dr. Vivian McAlister, Western University, London, Ontario; and the Museum of the Moving Image, New York, NY
Adrian Petry, Ivanhoe Lake Provincial Park, Foleyet, Ontario
Heather Rivet, Lambton County Fairbank Fellowship, Oil Museum of Canada, Oil Springs, Ontario
April Coxon, London Heritage Council, London, Ontario
Doug McGlynn, MHBC, Cultural Heritage Group, Kitchener, Ontario
Hilary Wasserman, Ontario Heritage Trust, Toronto, Ontario
Sarah Nagy, Sun Life Financial Corporate Archive, Waterloo, Ontario
Laura Piticco, Wartime Canada Project, Dr. Jonathan Vance, Western University, London, Ontario

Summer 2011

Jennifer Nelson, National Museum/National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh
Pamela Pal, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto/Markham Museum
Sarah Bennett, Canadian Museum of Civilization, Gatineau
Joanna Dawson, Canada's National History Society, Winnipeg
Adair Harper, Cave and Basin National Historic Site, Parks Canada, Banff
Annique Sanche, Parks Canada, Inuvik
Kira Westby, Sustainability Archaeology project, UWO/Peterborough Museum
Craig Capacchione, Sun Life Archives, Waterloo
Jennifer Levin-Bonder, Historical Section, DFAIT, Ottawa
Brent Wiancko, Archives of Ontario, Toronto
Caitlin Dyer, National Ballet of Canada Archives, Toronto
Luvneet Rana, Network in Canadian History and the Environment, UWO
Michelle Goodridge, City of Cambridge Archives
Terran Fader, Secrets of Radar Museum, London

Summer 2010 (Click on student's name for an internship profile)

Sara Sirianni, Banting House National Historic Site, London, ON
Tasha Diloreto, Canadian Children's Museum, Gatineau, QC
City of Edmonton
Culture Division, City of Hamilton, War of 1812 Project, Hamilton, ON
L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site, Newfoundland
J.P. Metras Sports Museum, UWO
Dana Johnson, Oil Springs Social History Project, Oil Museum of Canada, Petrolia, and Lambton County Fellowship
Promised Land Communities Project, Community University Research Alliance (CURA), Huron University College, UWO
Province of Alberta, Historic Resource Management Branch of Culture and Community Spirit
Simcoe County Museum, Minesing, ON
Sunnybrook Archives, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON
Ontario Jewish Archives, Toronto, ON

Summer 2009

Black Creek Pioneer Village, Toronto, ON
Chinese Public History Module, Department of History, UWO
City of Vancouver Archives
Environmental History of the Klondike Gold Rush Project, Network in Canadian History & Environment (NiCHE), UWO
Hamilton Museum of Steam and Technology, Hamilton, ON
The History Group Inc., Vancouver/Ottawa
Library and Archives Canada, Gatineau, QC
National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, ON
Niagara Historical Society & Museum, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON
Oil Springs Social History Project, Lambton County/ Fairbank Fellowship
Ontario Genealogical Society, Toronto, ON
Opium War Project, Department of History, UWO, London, ON
Parks Canada- Yukon River Wood Camps Heritage Study, Whitehorse, YK
Promised Land Communities Project, Community University Research Alliance (CURA), Huron University College, London, ON
Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), Toronto, ON
Secrets of Radar Museum, London, ON
Stratford Festival Archives, Stratford, ON

Summer 2008

Castle Kilbride National Historic Site, Baden, ON
Center for History and New Media, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
Digital History Project, Department of History, UWO
Frontenac Arch-Biosphere Reserve/Thousand Islands Residents’ Association, Lansdowne, ON
The History Group Inc., Coquitlam, BC
Library and Archives Canada, Gatineau, QC
London WWI Memorials Database Project, Department of History, UWO
The Museum of Health Care, Kingston, ON
Museum London, London, ON
Network in Canadian History & Environment (NiCHE), UWO, London, Ontario
Odyssey Maritime Discovery Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
Promised Land Communities Project, Huron University College, London, ON
The Royal Alberta Museum, Edmonton, AB

Summer 2007

Canadian Museum of Civilization, Gatineau, QC
Digital History Project, Department of History, UWO, London, ON
Historic Sites Board, Parks Canada, Gatineau, QC
History Television, Alliance Atlantis, Toronto, ON
Huron County Museum, Goderich, ON
Library and Archives Canada, Gatineau, QC
President's Committee on Oral History, UWO, London, ON
RENDER/University of Waterloo Art Gallery, Waterloo, ON
The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum, London, ON
Stratford Festival of Canada Archives, Stratford, ON

If you are interested in hosting an intern, see the section For the Community, and please contact Michelle Hamilton at mhamilt3@uwo.ca or Mike Dove, the Internship Coordinator at mdove2@uwo.ca.

"As the birthplace of the oil industry, Oil Springs has been recognized nationally and internationally as a place of great significance by industry experts. Currently under investigation by seasoned heritage professionals from MHBC Planning and Golder Associates, it will be the first heritage district in the country to focus on ongoing industrial activity... My Public History internship provided me with the once in a lifetime opportunity to assist in the early development of this heritage district, the ultimate goal of which is a bid for UNESCO World Heritage Site Designation."
- Meaghan Nelligan, 2009 Lambton County Fellow

"Students we have had from the UWO MA Program in Public History are well-trained and well-prepared. They are welcome any time at The History Group Inc."
- Ryan Blaak, Business Development Manager, The History Group Inc.