The final week of my internship encapsulated my last day at the OCRHC, the completion of my final tasks, and the internship showcase. All of these last events reflected what was a truly memorable experience this semester.
During my last day at the OCRHC I was finally able to make the finishing edits to both my Reflections article and The Community Paper article on Mable Butler. It was very rewarding to see these final edits accepted. Additionally, I found pictures on the OCRHC's website that could be attached to each article. Overall, it was a large feeling of relief and pride that such a long effort like my work on the Reflections article had come to an end. The experience demonstrated to me the amount of detailed research behind certain publications as well as the importance in adjusting my writing to suit a certain audience. Moreover, the article on Mable Butler was also insightful as it was further practice in consolidating a large body of information into a short, but informative piece. Then, at the conclusion of this last day on Monday I was able to sit with my supervisors for a brief lunch. I valued this time to relax and reflect on the entire semester's work. It was an opportunity to talk more freely and openly about my experience, making it the perfect way to end my last day.
Then, even more exciting was getting to share my experiences through the internship showcase. At the showcase, I shared how my internship evolved originally from an oral history focus to more so working in collections. I was excited to share the rewards of refining my research skills, participating in the Orlando Magazine photoshoot, and getting an opportunity to publish articles. Also, I discussed some of the challenges behind the role like time management, integrating various edits, and the learning curve with Proficio. However, I also shared that one of the biggest lessons I learned was to just ask questions. Asking for clarity and assistance only helps you learn more and become better at a certain task. Overall, one of my biggest takeaways from the experience was the breadth of Orlando's local history and Central Florida history. As someone that did not originally grow up in Orlando I was sadly a part of the group of people that simply saw the area as Disney and other theme parks. However, through this internship I gained more knowledge about local female leaders who strove to develop the city. This can be seen through the efforts of leaders like Mable Butler who brought the Meals on Wheels program to underserved areas in Orlando or through Glenda Hood's efforts to create more green spaces for the community. This effort can also especially be seen in Mary I. Johnson's legacy of the Victim Service Center of Central Florida. Learning more about it through my research has even inspired me to volunteer there next semester. Ultimately, this internship was truly transformative. I was able to step outside of academia and into the practicing field. Through this endeavor I was reinvigorated towards the field of public history and look forward to applying what I learned for other future opportunities.
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