My internship at Conner Prairie has been a great experience. It has taught me about myself and my work style. I have really enjoyed connecting with all the other various departments at Conner Prairie. Since my first Internship Portfolio Post, I have met with the Curatorial Department and the staff that runs their podcast This is Problematic! Each different group has given me advice and provided ideas about different directions I could take my project. This has contributed to the positive experience I have had at Conner Prairie. To continue having this positive experience, I have found that it is important to work with an open mind. Every department or person you talk to can provide different insights. An example of this was when I discussed my project with the Curatorial Department. A Curatorial Assistant name Dylan Rawles gave me an excellent idea for my project. He suggested that I provide a map including Indiana’s railroads during the Civil War. The purpose of this map would be to illustrate how information and goods were transported during this era. I would use this map to help explain how and why the public opinion was shaped in the areas of certain railways. I think this would be a great addition to my project, however, I am unsure if I will have time to complete the map to the best of my abilities. It is an idea I am hoping will be included in the results.
This internship has helped me figure out my work style preferences which mainly involve collaboration and organization. I have really enjoyed collaborating with the different departments. I have learned that I enjoy working with people and having someone to bounce ideas off. This has helped me look at my project from different perspectives. Another aspect of my work style is staying organized in all aspects of my project. The two ways I have accomplished organization are through using a log and Trello. I have created a consistent and detailed log of my work on a word doc. This has made it easier to keep track of my work and allows me to refer to finished work. A website that has helped me throughout this project is Trello. I have been using Trello since undergrad and it is amazing for projects like this or any project in general. Trello allows its users to create separate checklists such as “needs starting”, “in progress”, and “completed”.
