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| Taylor Lawson, intern at SARA |
Taylor Lawson, 21, of Rison, is a senior history major with
a minor in psychology and sociology at Henderson State University. She heard
about the internship opportunity through her public history class instructor,
David Sesser.
“Taylor started in May but has already shown an aptitude for
researching, handling and preserving archival documents,” says Melissa Nesbitt,
archival manager. “She is smart, passionate and a quick-learner. We are so
excited to have her at the Archives.”
Taylor wants to learn about the archival field because she
hopes to have a career in it one day. She took an American history class in
high school that piqued her interest and put her on the path to working in the
archival field.
As an intern, Taylor is gaining experience in processing
archival collections. Among the projects she has worked on so far is the Earl
Wagner collection of photographs, which consists of scenes from Hope, Texarkana
and Washington, Arkansas, in the 1980s through the 2000s. The photos include
community and political events.
Of her work at SARA, Taylor says what she enjoys most is
“being able to be so close to history in a hands-on way.”
“When studying history, you often don’t get immersed just by
reading from a textbook, so working with historical collections at SARA gives
you better insight into the past and the people involved in historical events,”
Taylor says.
When she is not studying history, Taylor loves to read
mystery and true crime stories. She enjoys listening to a wide variety of
music.
Taylor will work at SARA until Aug. 3. Until then, she has
the opportunity to immerse herself in the rich history of early Arkansas and
gain experience that could pave the way for a career in State Archives.
The SARA Foundation, Inc., which is the friends group for
SARA, sponsors the internship each year, and the Historic Washington State Park
provides support for the internship by providing housing. Applications are
available each spring.
SARA Foundation’s mission includes providing volunteer
support, promoting the acquisition of archival materials, conducting special
projects and raising funds that benefit SARA. The SARA Foundation depends on
membership dues and other contributions to fulfill its mission. For more
information on the Foundation, email waterslu@swarchives.org,
call 870-983-2633 or write to SARA Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 133, Washington,
AR 71862.
For more information on SARA or to find out more about the
internship position, contact Archival Manager Melissa Nesbitt at melissa.nesbitt@arkansas.gov or
call 870-983-2633.
