National Park Service Establishes Internship Program at St. John’s University

June 9, 2018 - St. John’s University (SJU) students attend a day-long volunteer training course at Federal Hall National Memorial in Lower Manhattan as the National Park Service (NPS) and SJU enter into a new partnership.

NPS PHOTO

The National Park Service (NPS) and St. John’s University (SJU) announce the formation of a new partnership. Under a recently signed agreement, the History Department of St. John’s University will assist NPS with recruiting and training volunteers and interns for research and interpretive programs in metropolitan New York City. The initial phase of the five-year program focuses on the provision of interns for Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration and the Trails and Rails Program administered by NPS and Amtrak.

Two interns will assist the staff at Ellis Island with the “Streets Paved with Gold” Project that records immigrant stories of Ellis Island visitors. They are Nadia Mushib, a student in the Master of Arts program in History, and Catherine Sheehan, who is enrolled in SJU’s new dual degree program offering a Master of Arts in Public History and a Master of Science in Library Information Science.

Two students have been selected for internships in the Trails & Rails Program, and will ride onboard Amtrak trains to provide passengers with information about National Parks and other historic and cultural sites along the routes from New York City to Albany and New York City to Washington, D.C. They are Mary Kenny, an undergraduate student majoring in History and Criminal Justice; and Alexander Lee, a Master of Arts student concentrating in Public History.

The new partnership program with National Parks of New York Harbor (NPNH) will help students majoring or specializing in history, library and information science, museum administration and other academic programs gain insight into the mission of NPS and the role the agency plays in the cultural life of the nation. They will learn how NPS helps New York City residents and visitors establish a personal connection to the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island, African Burial Ground National Monument, Stonewall National Monument, and other NPNH sites. In addition to receiving training allowing them to serve as site historical interpreters, students will also have a chance to work under the supervision of NPNH staff and SJU faculty to research and develop new content for NPS programs.

“We are excited to have St. John's University students interning with us at National Parks of New York Harbor as part of their academic studies,” said Commissioner Joshua Laird, NPNH. “Students and Rangers working together on projects opens the door to many learning opportunities for both sides. National Parks of New York Harbor will gain valuable insight and new perspectives from these young leaders, and students will gain meaningful experience while earning academic credit with the university."

Collaborating with James Miculka, National Coordinator for the NPS & Amtrak Partnership, and Patti Reilly, Director of Education & Youth Engagement for NPNH, Kristin M. Szylvian, Associate Professor of History and Director of the Public History graduate program, negotiated the partnership agreement for SJU.

Szylvian observed that NPS is “admired throughout the world for its research and stewardship of the nation’s natural and cultural resources...I am so grateful to NPS for this opportunity for our students to assist in the essential work of safeguarding our national treasures,” she said.