Posts tagged with Michigan Library Scholars in Blog Student Stories

A student perspective on powerful learning experiences during the Michigan Library Scholars Internship Program. This capstone project is about the Dance for Mother Earth Powwow. It is a physical exhibition displayed in the Hatcher Library North Lobby from August 1st through October 27th, 2022.

Did you know the largest student-led powwow is hosted in Ann Arbor each year? And it will soon be celebrating it's 50th event. Learn more about how this intertribal, cultural celebration of indigenous culture grew from a small local powwow into one of the larges powwow's in North America. The Dance for Mother Earth exhibition in Hatcher's north entrance display cases not only explores the history of the powwow, but also connects students and library patrons with current resources and information on modern indigenous culture and issues.

Classes often place a limit on what research is necessary for essays and tests, but the Michigan Library Scholars program gives its interns freedom to pursue any and all available information. This concept can be intimidating, but a necessary part of pursuing a career in academic scholarship. As a history and political-science major, this internship program has offered me the opportunity to pursue my own ideas and develop crucial skills.

During my university experience, I have been busy and rushed, running to one activity after another. I am pursuing a double major in History and Classical Archaeology while at the same time taking heavy course loads to graduate early. The Michigan Library Scholars Program was the first time I was able to slow down to study and appreciate a historical event. It gave me the opportunity to develop a lot of different skills, and gave me the confidence to move forward into the working world next year.

Working for the Elections in Africa Web Collection project as part of the Michigan Library Scholars Program helped me develop valuable skills in project management, technical web archiving abilities, and knowledge on African politics. Though there were obstacles in approaching the wide range of content and the limitations of the Archive-It tool, I greatly improved in my capacity to adapt and problem solve as a contributor to this project.

I always knew my grandfather could speak this odd sounding language, an ancient Spanish dialect that sounded like a mix of Spanish and Hebrew, both of which I was familiar with growing up Jewish in Southern Arizona. I knew that this was his first language, but I did not know much more than that about his heritage–my own heritage–until I became a part of the Michigan Library Scholars. These past few months have allowed me to learn more about my roots than I had ever imagined I would know.

Being a new transfer student, I was intimidated at first by the scope of the University of Michigan and its library, but when I heard that I could have the chance to work on an exhibit based on the Greek War of Independence through the Michigan Library Scholars Program, it was an opportunity I simply couldn't pass up. Not only was my experience one of learning, but also one of fun, as well as growth as a student and a professional.

A reflection on working in a pair on a multifaceted project in a remote setting as part of the Michigan Library Scholars internship.

Creating the "Hispanofilipino Literature: Translation as Repa(t)r(i)ation" exhibit as part of the Michigan Library Scholars internship.

During the summer of COVID-19, Michigan Library Scholar Yifei Yao contributed to the Askwith International Media Awareness Project by curating an online exhibit that highlights Asian film collections. This remote working experience provided an opportunity for Yifei to learn and grow. Through combining her passion for film and the new professional skills she learned, Yifei became more clear and confident in her career path after graduation.