How these interns used the past to guide their future

This summer, 14 students participated in a unique local internship experience. Since 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the Central Region Humanities Center (CRHC) recruited Ohio University students to create exhibits that connect this national event with Southeast Ohio history and stories.

The CRHC supports university research and experiential learning in the humanities, connecting that to Southeast Ohio and the surrounding regional communities. Mariana Dantas, associate professor and director of the CRHC, was thrilled to involve students in this milestone event. 

“The biennial conference was a great opportunity to develop a stronger relationship between the CRHC, our students, and the amazing local public humanities organizations in our city and county,” Dantas said. “When students have the chance to take their skills and knowledge into the community to promote the work they do and help them tell their stories, they get a taste of the wonderful things they can accomplish with their education.”

The student experiences were funded by a grant of almost $200,000 from the National Endowment for the Humanities, allowing the CRHC to fund research and opportunities for their interns surrounding the 250th anniversary. 

Helping each other grow

Sabella McCarty, a sophomore majoring in communication studies, said her experience at the Southeast Ohio History Center was a valuable way to receive hands-on learning and turn her studies into tangible employment after college. 

“This internship allowed me to gain exposure in a public humanities line of work,” McCarty said. “I found my experience this summer to be incredibly helpful in my journey of exploring my future career paths.”

The students worked with partner organizations across the region including Athens County Public Libraries, Ohio University Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections, Mount Zion Black Cultural Center, The Southeast Ohio History Center, Tablertown People of Color Museum and Invisible Ground.

‘History is all around us’

Ryan Frank, a senior studying integrated social studies in the Patton College of Education, worked with the Southeast Ohio History Center, analyzing the archives to curate a new museum exhibit highlighting the region’s connection to the Declaration. 

We think of history as something we can only see in a museum, but Frank learned during his internship that history is more common than we may believe. 

“The most interesting thing that I learned while working there was just how much history people have in their homes that they may not realize,” Frank said. “Listening to their stories about how they found them made me appreciate how much history is all around us.”

Frank, who is planning to become a social studies teacher, said he feels more confident about teaching historical documents and artifacts in his classes after his time at the Southeast Ohio History Center.

“In the classroom, I will use primary sources more efficiently and, with my experience, pass those skills to my students,” Frank said. 

OHIO’s founding father

Some of the interns got to see firsthand documents of Ohio University’s founding through the Manasseh Cutler collection. 

Cutler, who is considered one of the founding fathers of OHIO, had an instrumental role in passing the Northwest Ordinance, which allowed for more states to enter the Union. He was influential in prohibiting slavery and establishing educational opportunities, like Ohio University, in the new territories. 

Ethan Buehrer, a Ph.D. student in history, worked with the Mahn Center to study Cutler’s life and contributions. Buehrer said it was fascinating to learn about how this shaped the history of Southeast Ohio.

“The region is intimately connected with the American founding, and in many ways embodies the attempts of those in the Early Republic period to more fully realize the promises of the Declaration of Independence,” Buehrer said. 

The interns at the Mahn Center organized and transcribed Cutler’s papers, which Dantas said was challenging due to the complexities of 18th-century language. Their work is currently on display at Alden Library in an archive detailing Cutler’s relevance to national and Ohio University history. 

Two other exhibitions organized by the students are on display throughout the fall at the Southeast Ohio History Center and Richland Avenue Park.

“Archival work is incredibly important,” Buehrer said. “Engaging with primary sources for the sake of public engagement challenges scholars to make history approachable and relevant without losing rigor and deep analysis.” 

The interns also presented their work and research at the CRHC’s biennial conference in early September. The conference included panels and research expositions from experts in the humanities and keynote speaker Dr. Colleen Shogan, who served as the 11th Archivist of the United States.