By Celena Glaghassi, News Editor
This article originally appeared on pages 20 to 22 of the Sept. 2026 edition of The Gettysburgian magazine
For more than a decade, Gettysburg College’s Civil War Institute (CWI) has offered students a chance to put their classroom learning in practice.
The CWI Funded Internship Program, now in its 14th year, has placed more than 250 students in hands-on positions at historic sites, museums and archives across the country. According to Dr. Jill Ogline Titus, interim director of the Civil War Institute, the program has become a cornerstone opportunity for Gettysburg students interested in public history, offering not just professional experience, but a springboard for networking and eventually careers in the field.
“Over the 14 years the program has been in operation, it’s provided more than 250 students with valuable career experiences in history, museums, archives, and related fields,” Titus said. “For many students, the program has opened doors to permanent employment in the public history field and/or served as a valuable next step towards graduate school or other career directions.”
Titus, who has coordinated the program since 2012, said a significant number of alumni now work full-time in public history or are pursuing related graduate degrees. Some, she noted, have come full circle — returning as employer liaisons who help interview, hire and mentor current Gettysburg students seeking internships of their own.
Open to all matriculated Gettysburg College students regardless of major, the program has attracted participants from a wide array of academic disciplines. Selected interns receive free housing near their internship site, along with a stipend ranging from $2,750 to $4,000, depending on the specific position — support made possible through the generosity of CWI donors.
This past summer, 29 Gettysburg students took part in the program, working at sites ranging from national battlefields to museums and archival institutions. The Civil War Institute has been spotlighting their experiences throughout the summer on its Facebook and Instagram pages.
Harlyn Gray ’27 spent the summer interning in the division of interpretation at Gettysburg National Military Park, where she conducted research to create and present educational programs to audiences of varying ages. Gray also researched historic clothing to help develop an educational chart detailing different uniform pieces and their uses.
“I worked with a ton of amazing people including park rangers, volunteers, and other interns,” Gray said. “I also worked with the awesome curatorial team, gaining a peek into the extensive work that goes into museum collection and management.”
Gray said the internship offered valuable opportunities for personal and professional growth.
“The funded internship through the Civil War Institute taught me so much and allowed me to grow in so many ways that I will forever be grateful for,” Gray said.
Amanda J. Smith ’28, a Civil War Era studies minor, traveled further afield for her internship, spending the summer as an editorial intern at the Center for Digital History at George Washington’s Mount Vernon. Smith said she was grateful for the program’s geographic reach, which allows students to intern at sites across the country, from Boston Harbor in Massachusetts to the Little Bighorn Battlefield in Montana.
At Mount Vernon, Smith learned about the documentary editing process by transcribing Civil War-era correspondence from the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, a private organization that raised funds to purchase and preserve Washington’s estate.
“Transcribing the organization’s letters during the beginning of the Civil War gave me insight into the civilian experience of the war while introducing me to the documentary editing process,” Smith said.
In addition to her transcription work, Smith gathered public feedback on a developing Colonial-era spy video game and digitally catalogued several boxes from the facsimile collection for the Washington Papers Migration Project.
Smith said she hopes to participate in another CWI-funded internship next summer, citing the program’s combination of professional experience for students and financial accessibility.
“All of the opportunities provide free housing alongside valuable public history experiences, making them financially accessible to all students,” Smith said. “I’m excited to apply again this summer, and I’m looking forward to seeing what internship opportunities are offered this year.”
(Photo provided by Amanda Smith)
Senior Marcy Zimmer, who has completed two internships through the program at National Park Service sites, used her time at her first internship to land a job as a park guide this past summer. The summer before her sophomore year, Zimmer interned at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, where she said park rangers helped her learn “front line interpretation” — engaging directly with visitors through educational programming.
“I got to work the front desk and create and conduct formal interpretative programs,” Zimmer said.
The summer before her junior year, CWI’s internship program took Zimmer to Antietam National Battlefield, where her responsibilities shifted toward behind-the-scenes work. She said her time there broadened her understanding of the many layers involved in historical interpretation.
“It was a very different experience, as I got to do more behind the scenes work,” Zimmer said. “I learned more about the many layers of interpretation from signage to informal interpretation.”
She then returned to Fredericksburg the summer before her senior year, using the connections from her first CWI internship to begin a job as a park ranger. While she did not directly participate in the program this past summer, the networking and experience from her first internship with the program helped her along her career path.
(Photo provided by Marcy Zimmer)
Brayden Danbury ’29 spent the past summer working as a planning and programming intern at Susquehanna National Heritage Area based in Wrightsville, Pennsylvania. In this role, he worked on the development of the Historic Mifflin Farm Underground Railroad and Civil War battle into the new Susquehanna Discovery Center.
“I had the opportunity to help plan and perform many of the organization’s events, including the annual Summer Soiree Fundraiser, a Juneteenth hike down to and paddle across the Susquehanna River and the Rivertown’s Riverfest celebration,” Danbury commented.
He also led tours of the farm and created a walking tour that focused on the Civil War battle that took place at the site.
“My time with SHNA gave me invaluable insight and experience in the public history field, but also helped me learn the value of networking and collaboration in the field and how these skills can help foster relationships that drive goals forward.
(Photo provided by Brayden Danbury)
Titus said the program continues to evolve each year to serve the diverse interests of Gettysburg’s student body. Recent additions include new positions in cultural heritage, marketing, digital history and battlefield preservation. The program has also benefited from targeted philanthropic support, including a recently established fund to bolster student involvement in historic preservation work.
Titus said position descriptions for Summer 2027 internships will be posted over winter break, with completed applications due Feb. 8, 2027.
Students interested in applying can find additional information, including internship profiles and updates, on the Civil War Institute’s Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as on the CWI section of the Gettysburg College website.
