History at Aquinas College

AQ history students get real-world experience and college credit through internships!  As part of their education at Aquinas College, students majoring or minoring history have the opportunity to earn up to three semester hours for hands-on experience in fields related directly to history.  In the past AQ students have interned at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids and the Mackinac State Historical Park, among other locations.  Working as an intern at a museum or an interpreter at an historic park gives students a broader education beyond the classroom. Field experience also provides students with a first-hand experience in the many types of public history careers open to those who possess a B.A. in history, such as preservation, archival work, interpretation, etc. Field experience also better enables future success for those who wish to pursue graduate studies in public history.

In Spring 2015 history major Joshua Schneider gained work experience, received history credit, and served his community by organizing the archives of his parish church, St. Patrick Catholic Church in Portland, Michigan.  In addition to creating a professional finding aid, Josh researched and wrote a history of the parish and its pastors.  He also created website content to make his findings accessible to the public.  In Fall 2015 Josh is earning more college credit and work experience through an internship at the Grand Rapids City Archives. 

If you want to bring history to the public, get college credit, and gain valuable work experience, contact a history professor.

For more information on internships, visit the Advantage Center.