A note from intern Dena

by Dena Stiles-Lawson, Summer Intern

Dena looking at a manuscript through a magnifying glass.

Hello, my name is Dena Stiles-Lawson, and I am a rising junior at Temple University. I am still exploring the paths I can take with my degree, but I know whatever I do, it will be in or around the arts. This is what attracted me to be a collections intern right here at the Rosenbach Museum and Library. 

As a precursor to my final project, I was tasked with creating a collections guide for the American Revolution, and picking a theme that amplified the voice of a group who often went overlooked. The possibilities were endless to me! But ultimately, I decided on young people in the American Revolution. I wanted to have a space to decenter the instantly recognizable icons of this time period and hopefully offer a little insight into what young people like me were doing in the days of this country’s conception. To do this, I got to interact with 18th century manuscripts from the Rosenbach’s collection. I had never done anything like this before, and the experience was as intimate as it was exhilarating. There were many objects that coincided with my theme, and so I pieced together a collections guide with the help of Emilie Parker, Hirsig Director of Education and Community Engagement, and David Rhys Owen, Manager of Collections Stewardship and Engagement, and made something that I am truly proud of. 

A selection from Dena’s research for a collections guide and public program.
Adams, John, 1735-1826, Autograph letter signed : Philadelphia, Pa., to Thomas Boylston Adams, Braintree, Mass., 1777 May 6. AMs 364/11

Then it was time to get working on the final project of the summer: using the collections guide to make an outline of a public program! I had some experience in making lesson plans, and I enjoyed the thought of sharing the wonders of museums with children eager to learn, so for my final project, I made an outline of a high school lesson plan. The lesson plan was based around the theme of young people, as well, as I thought it was fitting to let young people of today compare themselves to their peers from the 18th century.  

There were so many things I learned this summer! I got to do inventory, participate in gallery rotation, object transcription, and object handling, and I learned how to navigate the museum’s online catalogs. There is so much behind-the-scenes work and just plain diligence that comes with working in collections, and it completely renewed the appreciation I have for the folks who keep our museums running smoothly. I will never forget the experience, and I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to be a part of the Rosenbach’s world.  

Because of the wonderful summer I had this year, I can say with confidence that working in collections has become a very possible career path in my future. It was rewarding, fun, and I always left the building knowing something I hadn’t before. I give my deepest thanks to the Rosenbach and its staff for this invaluable experience! 

The Rosenbach’s summer interns Dena and Weronika work with Associate Curator & Manager of Public Programs Bryn Michelson-Ziegler to install a page of the manuscript of James Joyce’s Ulysses in Treasures from the Rosenbach’s Collection: Literature of Great Britain & Ireland.