Date: Aug 14, 2009

Hofstra Seeking Student Oral Historians in Preparation for its 75th Anniversary in 2010

Student Opportunity Involves Coursework in the Fall and Employment in the Spring

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY – In conjunction with plans to celebrate Hofstra's 75th anniversary in 2010, Hofstra will be training selected students for positions to serve as oral historians during the anniversary celebration. Ultimately their work will be cataloged within the University's archives for the historical record. In order to be considered for a position as an oral historian in the spring, students must apply after the completion of the fall course, History 178A.

This year-long project involves course work combining methods in documentary, oral history, sociology and urban studies for the fall semester of 2009.  Students will be trained in taking oral histories and paid for their work as oral historians in the spring of 2010. This opportunity allows students to receive credit in the fall and an enriching employment opportunity in the spring. 

Working collaboratively with community-based organizations in the fall, students will perform interviews, collect and document data and study the Hempstead community, exploring racial, ethnic and class dynamics in Hempstead neighborhoods, looking especially at the impact of recent immigration on the town. In the final weeks of the course, students will transform testimonies into creative or documentary pieces in formats including video, photography, radio, journalistic writing, theatrical performance and graphic illustration.

In the spring of 2010, students will be selected from among those participating in the course for paid positions taking oral histories as part of Hofstra’s 75th anniversary.  10 students will work in pairs and be assigned to take approximately 20 oral histories from among Hofstra alumni, faculty, emeritus faculty and administrators. 

Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution where students can choose from about 150 undergraduate and more than 160 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business; engineering; communication; education, health and human services;  and honors studies, as well as a School of Law.

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