Internship Highlights
by Wyatt Young, Librarian
One of our favorite parts about working at the Chester County History Center are the connections we make with students from West Chester University. As part of an ongoing collaboration with WCU’s History Department, the CCHC Library and Special Collections Digitization Internship has so far provided opportunities for three undergraduates to get hands-on experience in the field. Our most recent intern was Ashley Rogers, a history-minded educator that we were happy to get to know.
During her time as an intern at the Chester County History Center Library, Ashley brought enthusiasm, dedication, and a sharp eye for historical detail to every project she tackled. As a senior at West Chester University studying History and Secondary Education, she joined us eager to explore new ways of engaging with history—and we’re incredibly grateful for the impact she made.
By helping to organize and update our library’s inventory, Ashley played a crucial role in making our collections more accessible to staff, researchers, and visitors. She also played a key role in our new exhibit, A Different Engle: West Chester Then and Now, by conducting research, scouting locations, and capturing images featured in the display.
A Different Engle opens March 19!
Below is Ashley’s account from her time at CCHC, so take it away Ashley!
“Hi, I’m Ashley Rogers! I’m a senior at West Chester University, studying History and Secondary Education. Before starting my final semester of student teaching, I wanted to branch out and explore a new way of engaging with history. That’s when I applied for a digital history internship at the Chester County History Center (CCHC). I wasn’t sure what to expect going in, but I ended up spending the semester working alongside Wyatt Young on a variety of projects. It was such a fun and rewarding way to combine my passion for history with hands-on experience.
One of my main responsibilities during the internship was helping to consolidate the library’s finding aids. This project was all about making it easier for staff, volunteers, and researchers to search through the vast collection of materials housed at CCHS. A highlight for me was working with the photo collections, which meant I got to venture into the vault—a space filled with incredible artifacts and documents. While inventorying the collections, I stumbled across photos from a 19th-century Arctic expedition. It was such an exciting discovery and a reminder of how history can surprise you when you least expect it.
Another part of my internship involved creating materials for an upcoming exhibit. This gave me a behind-the-scenes look at how historical societies share their collections with the public in meaningful and engaging ways. It was so rewarding to know that my work would help bring these stories to life for visitors. Beyond the projects, I loved meeting the amazing people who make CCHS what it is, from the dedicated staff and volunteers to the visitors who come to explore Chester County’s rich history. This experience has been such a fun and fulfilling way to spend one of my last semesters at WCU, and it’s deepened my appreciation for the work historical societies do to preserve and share our past.”
