Prince William Forest Park

Museum Internship Positions: Spring

Prince William Forest Park Entrance

About Prince William Forest Park

Prince William Forest Park is an oasis of natural beauty and human history located only 35 miles south of Washington, DC. 37 miles of hiking trails and 21 miles of bicycle-accessible roads and trails traverse this 15,000 acre Piedmont forest. Beneath its canopy lies evidence of human history reaching back to 8,000 B.C. Native Americans, early agricultural, and mixed-race mining communities shaped the landscape before the park was created. This human past is often revealed in archaeological remains, ruins of structures, and other markers. Prince William Forest Park was originally designated as the Chopawamsic Recreation Demonstration Area (RDA) in 1933 and constructed by the Civilian conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC built roads, five cabin camps, and lakes for urban middle and lower income populations to recreate. However, during the 1940s the park was turned over to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the precursor to the CIA, and secret training areas were established within the Park to train spies and radio operators in covert military intelligence operations. In the late 1940s the park was returned to the NPS and renamed Prince William Forest Park. Since, the park has been a place for group cabin camping, tent camping, hiking, biking, and other general recreation.

Position 1

Prince William Forest Park is seeking a Museum intern beginning in February 2013. This position is unpaid and the intern would be required to complete 126 hours to receive academic credit. The Museum intern would work closely with the Cultural Resource Specialist on the Park’s museum collection, and library. The intern would receive training on caring and handling museum objects, utilizing Department of Interior Museum Collections program ICMS, as well as other on the job training. The intern would catalog and prepare museum objects for accession; utilize ICMS to accession objects and conduct research in Park’s collection; assist in deaccessioning museum objects; catalog and label library book using the Procite library software, digitize slides for Park library; assist with annual Museum Collections inventory.

The park’s goal is to develop a youth intern’s skills in Museum management and provide exposure to the interdisciplinary field of Cultural Resources Management (CRM). Additionally, the intern would also be exposed to the interdisciplinary field of CRM, which includes Museum Conservation, Historic Preservation, Archaeology, and Ethnography.  The youth intern would provide critical support to Cultural Resource operations at Prince William Forest Park.  The park is committed to providing the supervision and mentorship needed for the intern to be successful during the internship and beyond.

Position 2

Prince William Forest Park is seeking a Museum intern beginning in February 2013. This position is unpaid and the intern would be required to complete 126 hours to receive academic credit.  For the museum position, the intern will digitize oral history cassette tapes, transcribe oral histories, and upload these digital files onto the park website. Creating digital versions would allow the original tapes to be preserved, while providing digital copies of the oral histories for research and interpretive use. In addition, transcribing the park’s most recent oral histories and adding this data to the park’s History and Culture Park webpages would allow the information to reach broader audiences. The intern will gain experience in archival management, digitization standards, and creating interpretative material with archives.

The park’s goal is to develop a youth intern’s skills in Museum and provide exposure to the interdisciplinary field of Cultural Resources Management (CRM). Additionally, the intern would also be exposed to the interdisciplinary field of CRM, which includes Museum Conservation, Historic Preservation, Archaeology, and Ethnography.  The youth intern would provide critical support to Cultural Resource operations at Prince William Forest Park.  The park is committed to providing the supervision and mentorship needed for the intern to be successful during the internship and beyond.

How to Apply:

To apply for the Museum or Ethnography Internship positions, please submit the following information:

·  A resume or a curriculum vita (1-2 pages) that includes: educational information; previous and current experience; publications or presentations; awards, scholarships, honors, etc.; and 2 references.

·  A cover letter that includes a brief statement, 200 words or less, of why you want the internship and why you are qualified. Please indicate the internship you are applying for.

Application materials must be submitted by February 1, 2013 to the Park’s Cultural Resource Specialist:

Colette Carmouche, Colette  Carmouche@nps.gov, 703-221-4706, ext 272)