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Career Potential
INTERNSHIP OPTIONS FOR HISTORY MAJORS
The institutions listed here have indicated an eagerness to use history interns. Their expectation is that the intern will be present at the site approximately six hours a week.
As you can see, some of the sites involve work of a directly historical nature: such as preparing historical exhibitions at the Long Island Historical Society. Other sites involve related activities: such as doing research for the American Civil Liberties Union. Still other sites require practical work that is not directly historical, such as mentoring young people in emergency shelters run by the Interfaith Nutritional Network (The INN). In the latter case, interns will be expected to develop a historical component. For example, a student working at the INN might choose to develop some historical programs for youngsters in the shelters, or to look at the historical roots of homelessness in the area, or to trace the development of the INN itself.
For more information about these options, consult the faculty member whose name is listed with the site. (Note: the faculty member will not necessarily become your history department supervisor). We have also indicated individuals at these sites who are willing to be contacted directly.
This list is not meant to be exhaustive. We will be continually updating it. You may have identified some other internship opportunity that would be valuable to you as a history major. Feel free to submit this on your application along with the accompanying details.
Click here for the Internship Program Application Form.
- American Committee on Africa (ACOA)
- Brooklyn Historical Society
- Catholic Charities
- Garvies Point Museum and Preserve
- Health and Welfare Council of Nassau County
- Hispanic Counseling Center
- Huntington Historical Society
- Institute for Community Development
- Interfaith Nutritional Network
- League of Women Voters of the United States
- Long Island Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives
- Long Island Progressive Coalition
- Lower East Side Tenement Museum
- Museum of the American Indian
- Nassau County Legal Services
- New York Civil Liberties Union, Nassau Chapter
- New York Historical Society
- New York Holocaust Museum
- New York Transit Authority Museum
- Old Bethpage Restoration
- Oyster Bay Historical Society
- Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
- US Department of Housing (HUD)
- Vanderbilt Museum
- Walt Whitman Birthplace
- Weeksville Historical Society
- Off-Campus Research Assistantships (2)
American Committee on Africa (ACOA)
New York City
An organization that advocates rights for African people in African countries. Interns may work on pending trade bill in Congress, the Nigeria Project or the Women in Africa Project.
Faculty: Professor Parker
Brooklyn Historical Society
Pierrepont Street, Brooklyn Heights
The Brooklyn Historical Society is a museum with exhibits about Brooklyn's diverse people and cultures. Educational programs present and interpret Brooklyn's rich heritage for young people and adults. Student interns can be used for archival research, exhibit development and educational programming.
Faculty: Professor Eisenberg
Site Contact: Jacqueline Simmons, (718) 624-0890
Catholic Charities
Hicksville
Engages in a variety of activities concerning social justice and quality of life particularly affecting Catholics on Long Island, but reaching beyond that constituency and even beyond our area. Of special interest this year are implications of the 10th year anniversary update of the bishops' Pastoral Letter on Economic Justice in the United States.
Faculty: Professor D'Innocenzo
Garvies Point Museum and Preserve
Glen Cove
A natural history museum devoted to regional, native American culture and archaeology, and regional geology. Interns may be used in both education department and in the archaeological laboratory. Students with computer skills will assist with setting up data base from collections. Opportunity to work on exhibitions.
Faculty: Professor Eisenberg
Site: Katheryne Natale, (516) 571-8010
Health and Welfare Council of Nassau County
Hempstead
A clearinghouse for information and an advocacy agency for populations at risk in Nassau County—poor, elderly, infants, domestic violence, health care. The Council works with dozens of governmental agencies, as well as private and nonprofit groups. Each year it offers major assessments of federal, state and country budgets regarding effects on quality of life for Long islanders.
Faculty: Professor D'Innocenzo
Hispanic Counseling Center
Hempstead
The organization dedicated to the betterment of Long Island's various Hispanic communities. The office is very close to Hofstra's campus and the organization is in great need of committed hands-on workers. Interns will be asked to perform some routine tasks in addition to the more meaningful assignments they will be given.
Faculty: Professor Parker
Huntington Historical Society
Huntington
The Society maintains two 18th century house museums that are open to the public and a third property that contains a research library. Interns may assist with the collection of historic photographs, do work in the research library, or help the education department in a summer child program.
Faculty: Professor Eisenberg
Site Contact: Mitzi Caputo, (516) 427-7045
Institute for Community Development
A New York Metropolitan area program that focuses on preparing at risk youth for success in high school and college. These students are exposed to various aspects of life: the arts, the business world, nature, politics etc. The student intern will be working closely with one of the supervisors of a Long Island site assisting with tutoring supervision, preparation of materials, planning of outings, showing students around a college campus and sharing college experiences and advice concerning college life. A car is necessary for this internship.
Faculty: Professor Parker
Site Contact: Stewart Williams, (516) 253-5939
Interfaith Nutritional Network
Hempstead
This organization provides a variety of essential services for poor people in the immediate area, including soup kitchens, emergency shelters for homeless families, a medical clinic and long-term low-income housing. There is opportunity for 2 student interns, who will be used to provide supervision and programs for children in the shelters.
Faculty: Professor Eisenberg
Site Contact: Jean Kelly. (516) 486-8506
League of Women Voters of the United States
Various locations
A nonpartisan organization that provides public information on candidates and issues with the intent of promoting wider electoral participation. Its publications address the legal aspects of election law, survey voter—participation and investigate the impact of federal legislation on the electoral process—the impact of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 on local redistricting initiatives, for example. This agency offers an opportunity for research related to contemporary issues and on the broader aspects of the political process.
Faculty: Professor Kern
Long Island Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives
Garden City
A coalition of progressive peace and community welfare groups, which does research, public education, grass-roots organizing and lobbying of public officials. A student intern could work on a variety of projects as a researcher or organizer. Some issues that the Alliance is concerned with are: NATO expansion: the military budget in relation to the Long Island economy, the continuing arms race, and the land mine treaty.
Faculty: Professor Eisenberg
Site Contact: Rob Lepley, (516) 741-4360
Long Island Progressive Coalition
Massapequa
For nearly 20 years this network has sought to bring together labor unions, women's groups, environmentalists, teachers and the elderly to engage in research planning and advocacy for public policies that foster the good of the many over the interests of the few.
Faculty: Professor D'Innocenzo
Lower East Side Tenement Museum
Orchard Street
Lower East Side, Manhattan
Chartered in 1988, the Lower East Side Tenement Museum's mission is to promote tolerance and historical perspective through the presentation and interpretation of the variety of immigrant and migrant experiences on Manhattan's Lower East Side. The museum achieves this through tours of 97 Orchard Street, its landmark tenement, walking tours, exhibitions, dramatic performances and other interpretive projects. Interns will gain firsthand experience in all aspects of the museum profession. Working with museum personnel they participate in program planning, interpretation, collections management and other interpretive projects.
Faculty: Professor Yohn
Site Contact: Ruth Abrams (212) 431-0233 ext.212
Museum of the American Indian
Bowling Green, NYC
Recently opened at new location. This museum is a subsidiary of the National Museum of the American Indian located in the Smithsonian complex on the mall in Washington DC. Its collections include Native-American artifacts that range from Central and South America through the North American tribes. It is presently engaged in a massive cataloging project including compiling a digitized photographic archive of its artifact collections. Some aspects of ethnographic, anthropological or historical studies of Native American people might be pursued at this site.
Faculty: Professor Kern
Nassau County Legal Services
Hempstead
Serves as the legal advocate with governmental agencies and the courts for at-risk populations in Nassau County. Interns might be used to interview clients, take case histories, conduct legal research and go to court.
Faculty: Professor D'Innocenzo
New York Civil Liberties Union, Nassau Chapter
Mineola
(Students will need to do this as 6-credit option)
The CLU represents individuals and brings legal suits to uphold the provisions of the Bill of Rights, and particularly the First Amendment. Current major issues in Nassau Country involve educational equity, particularly with regard to disparities in funding based on race and residence. Also receiving attention are concerns about legislative districts, religious freedom and gender issues.
Faculty: Professor D'Innocenzo
New York Historical Society
170 Central Park West (at 77th Street) Manhattan
Perhaps the finest collection of artifacts and documents concerning the history of New York City. This spring student interns can work on an exhibit about the Spanish-American War or an exhibit for elementary school students ("Kid City") about New York City history. There are also opportunities for an intern to do archival projects.
Faculty: Stan Pugliese
Site Contact: L.J. Crizner, (212) 873-3400
New York Holocaust Museum
342 Madison Avenue Manhattan
For students interested in working on exhibits and presentations related to the Holocaust.
Faculty: Professor Pugliese
Site Contact: Debra Claude Marcus, (212) 968-1800
New York Transit Authority Museum
130 Livingston Street
Brooklyn
Much frequented museum which focuses on the history of subways and mass transit in New York City. Interns may be used for archival work and for the preparation of educational exhibits.
Faculty: Professor Eisenberg
Site Contact: Charles Sachs, (718) 243-8601
Old Bethpage Restoration
Round Swamp Road
Old Bethpage, LI
A nineteenth-century reconstruction comprising historical houses, shops, and a church relocated to the site as well as a model farm with a kitchen, garden and animals—oxen, horses, cows, pigs and chickens. There is an operating general store and a hatter's and blacksmith's shop as well. The museum would like a student intern to carry out research on 19th Century Halloween customs on Long Island (at the Long Island Studies Institute) and to work with staff at Old Bethpage on applying research to educational programs. Other projects are also possible.
Faculty: Professor Kern
Site Contact Jim McKenna, (516) 295-4112
Oyster Bay Historical Society
A historical society that is responsible for maintaining a geneologic and historical research library as well as a museum that presents 350 years of Oyster Bay history. Interns may work on photographic collections, exhibit development or computer projects. Faculty:
Faculty: Professor Eisenberg
Site: Tom Kuehhas, (516) 922-5032
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
Oyster Bay
Contains summer home of Theodore Roosevelt and a museum focusing on Roosevelt's family life and career. Interns will be introduced to curatorial work, learning what it takes to run a historic house. Responsibilities may include cataloging projects of documents and photographs, computer entry, environmental and house maintenance.
Faculty: Professor Eisenberg
Site: Amy Verone, (516) 922-4447
US Department of Housing (HUD)
Manhattan
HUD is a federal department with offices in each city throughout the United States. This organization is responsible for providing and monitoring housing for poor and low income residents. Some of the residents in HUD housing receive public assistance, but most do
not. The Manhattan office currently has interns from Fordham University and is interested in establishing a relationship with Hofstra students. Student interns will be working closely with HUD employees who are responsive for determining which applicants will be selected to receive housing assistance and also with employees who are in charge of evaluating the condition of public housing. Interns will be exposed to legal and urban issues as well as issues of politics, public policy, finance and social welfare.
Faculty: Professor Parker
Vanderbilt Museum
180 Little Neck Road
Centerport, NY
A classic example of the great "Gold Coast" estates of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, the Vanderbilt is now a museum that specializes in local and natural history. It also has a planetarium. An intern can work on projects related to the history of the Vanderbilt family or to other aspects of Long Island history.
Faculty: Professor Pugliese
Site Contact: Florence Ogg, Curator, (516) 854-5508
Walt Whitman Birthplace
State Historic Site and Interpretive Center
246 Old Walt Whitman
Huntington Station, New York 11746
Walt Whitman's birthplace is now a registered historical landmark and exists to collect, preserve and promulgate his extensive writings. Whitman offers a unique perspective on 19th Century America along with the opportunity to study Long Island history.
Faculty Contact: Professor Pugliese
Site Contact: Mrs. Barbara Bart, (516) 427-5240
Weeksville Historical Society
1698 Bergen
Brooklyn
The mission of this society is to research, preserve and disseminate the history of the free 19th Century African-American community in the area of Weeksville in Bedford Stuyvesant. Student interns will be used for educational programs and/or to carry out research in the society's archives.
Faculty: Professor Eisenberg
Site Contacts: Anna French and Joan Maynard, (718) 756-5250
Off-Campus Research Assistantships (2)
- For a professor working on New York area political history. Students will be required to visit archives and libraries in Brooklyn and/or Manhattan for the purpose of locating specific information related to ethnic politics in New York during the 1960's.
Faculty: Professor Parker
- For a professor working on recent Brazilian history in the area of race and politics. Student would be required to travel to Brooklyn and Manhattan frequently visiting libraries and archives.
Faculty: Professor Parker
Outside Supervisor: Kim Jones, (718) 488-1197