Caroline Workman

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Gracie Amburn

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I have really enjoyed learning about and helping to share Veterans stories! I have also loved getting to know my fellow interns! 10/10 experience!! – Libby Gilliland

I enjoy the comradery within the Center. Of course, I have enjoyed researching and writing about veterans from Tennessee, but something I have particularly enjoyed would be talking with some veterans working at the internship about their service. Hearing their stories from their time in the military is always interesting and sometimes it holds a good laugh. – Jonah Webb

I love being an intern for the Center because it allows me to really dive into Tennessee military history, and help collect and share the stories of the men and women of Tennessee who have served in the United States Military. (Colby is in the Army ROTC Program)

After hearing about the internship through a fellow history major, I immediately knew I was interested in applying. The topic I chose was specific to Knoxville, and having the freedom to dive into local history and study a topic that interested me was a truly invaluable experience. This internship gave me the opportunity to hone my research skills. I learned a tremendous amount about the process of research and how to present that research to a broad audience. Working on my project at the Center also solidified my decision to pursue history for my graduate studies. Overall, the internship at the Center for the Study of Tennesseans and War provides students with the unique experience of completing extensive independent research as undergraduate students and collaborating with other students who have similar interests. I would recommend this course to anyone interested in researching and sharing Tennessee’s history!

Hi, my name is Angelina and I am an intern at the Center this year! One thing that I love about the internship is getting to express my passion for military history and express it to the world. Sharing the stories of veterans is super important to me because they are underappreciated and underrepresented. Our nation should pay more attention to them and the incredible service they have done for our country. 

During my internship at the Center, I acquired invaluable experience that will serve me well throughout the rest of my professional and educational careers. Growing up, history was a passion of mine. From an early age, I knew I wanted to study the past to honor the stories and lives of those who lived before me. My experience at the University of Tennessee has taught me how to research and comprehend challenging texts and break down complicated historical concepts engagingly. As students, we were always taught how to do it in the confines of a classroom. The internship enabled me to gain the added step necessary to obtain employment following graduation and practical application of what I have learned over the past four years. We were taught about the importance of incorporating modern technology into the context of history. The purpose is to give everyday people a chance to learn more about local history through an immersive and revolutionary storytelling medium. This allowed interns to utilize Hodges Library’s special collections, where I, among others, could examine archival materials and primary sources related to the confrontations we were studying. We were guided in preserving such materials and digitizing information pages to integrate into our digital humanity projects.

Honestly, one of the best parts about the center is Dr. Magra and research assistant Matthew Kelley who gave the internship a personable feel. Both of them valued the interns’ opinions and gave us a lot of flexibility and respect while working there. I truly felt as if I was a part of the center and all that it stands for. Participating in this internship allowed me to expand on my passion for the subject and develop new skills in history and writing. I am grateful that I was able to share this passion and gain first-hand experience of what it is like to be a historian in the real world.

The reason I love interning for the Center is because it has given me the chance to practice my real-world skills in the field of history. I also love Dr. Magra’s positive spirit and attitude. He always makes the start of my day better no matter the circumstances.

What I love about the internship is the community – working together for a common purpose, to preserve history. – Jarred Humes

One thing I love about the internship is that I get to unearth stories from sources I wouldn’t be able to reach otherwise. – Seth Harper

I have really enjoyed working on the mapping project and having the opportunity to learn more about Knoxville history and how much of Knoxville is related to the military. I am also glad to have the opportunity to practice research. – Elanor Layman

One thing I’ve enjoyed about this internship is getting to hear the stories of veterans that would otherwise be lost to history. Researching individual experiences in war has taught me so much about courage, dedication, and how people are the same in the past and the present.

When I first read about the internship opportunity at the Center for Tennesseans and War last semester, I was instantly interested. As a freshman, I hadn’t yet gotten the opportunity to really dive deep into researching something that interested me, and so I thought the internship sounded like a great opportunity to really see what being a historian was all about. After completing this semester, I can say with certainty that I was right to be so excited. At the Center, it felt so good to be encouraged to discover what I was truly passionate about, instead of simply completing set assignments. I am so grateful that we were trusted enough to pick our own topics, and really make the projects our own. I feel like this semester has solidified not only my interest in becoming a historian, but also my interest in telling women’s stories that have been so long ignored.

This semester has also left me feeling much more confident in my research skills. Prior to this, I hadn’t really done much in depth research, so I was a little wary going in. However, I was given such good insight into the research process, that now I feel confident in my ability for future projects. I know that I have lots of research ahead of me, so now having these skills will be so beneficial in the long run.

I also really enjoyed the camaraderie that I felt with my fellow interns this semester. Since history isn’t such a dominating major, it’s hard to find other students who also find history fascinating. That’s why it felt so good to spend time in a room with people who are also passionate about uncovering stories and trying to bring them to light for future generations. It certainly made me feel confident that this is what I am supposed to be doing, and for that I am the most grateful.

One thing I love about the internship is learning about the things around Knoxville that I see every day and how they have helped the area grow into what it is today. 

My experience during the internship this semester has been nothing short of amazing. I was afforded the opportunity to learn more about a family friend who sacrificed so much for our country. I was also able to make friends and have a place to laugh and bond with fellow history students. However, the best part of this experience was being able to tell the story of Tennesseans who gave so much to our country and see the other projects about many other veterans from our great state. The internship has without a doubt been one of the best opportunities I have had in my four years at the university and I would strongly encourage any other history majors to partake in the internship.

What I enjoy most about the Center is the stories of veterans that have gone before me. (Nathaniel is a veteran)

The internship at the Center for the Study of Tennesseans and War has been a great opportunity to further my skills as a writer and researcher. The projects I had the opportunity to work on were lots of fun to complete, and the feedback I received from Dr. Magra and Matthew was invaluable. Researching Edward Westcott and military photographers was immensely rewarding, and I was fascinated by the ways in which these veterans served their country. Not only did I learn a lot about the people I was researching, I also learned a lot about the processes of history and the ways in which historical works are completed. My experience at the Center was a great one, and it has been only of my favorite classes at UT!

My favorite part of interning with the Center is the variety of materials and ideas I get exposed to every time I open up a folder or go out and do work, as well as the engaged community within and outside of the University that the Center clearly participates in. 

After looking at my family history, I saw an opportunity with the Center for the Study of Tennesseans and War.  I could have a better understanding of the time of my ancestors, the early history of my state, and record the story of veterans.  Learning more about Blount, veteran land grants, and Tennessee was extremely valuable.  This internship allowed me to acquire knowledge about veterans and record their stories while also exploring my own personal history.  It was an experience that was irreplaceable.

I was incredibly grateful to be given the chance of researching individuals who would have been otherwise lost to time. I am a story teller, my grandfather Hack Ayers was a story teller, and I plan on telling the story of as many Tennessee veterans as possible! 

Being an intern at the Center has been a positive experience in more ways than one.  First, the internship helped me attain a greater respect and understanding for the people who served in the military.  Their service and sacrifice to something bigger than themselves is worthy of respect and coverage, so it is enriching to work with a program that promotes their stories.  I feel like I have become a better researcher and historian during my time working at the Center, especially since the program promoted using archival works within Special Collections.  Moreover, the Center has encouraged me to help veterans in my community, including cleaning veterans’ gravestones in the local cemetery.  The stories of veterans are not confined to the pages of a textbook, but rather, they come to life when you see their memorials or visit Veterans’ Day events.  I am grateful for these numerous opportunities the Center has granted me.

I love finding out cool little things about the history of the people and places I walk by everyday!

When I first heard about the internship at The Center for Tennesseans and War, I was immediately interested in the opportunity to get some real research experience.  I was given the opportunity to do research on a subject that I was interested in, World War One and the individuals that fought in it. Specifically, my project was on Alvin C. York, one of the most famous and well decorated American soldiers of World War One. He is most famous for capturing over 130 German soldiers in one day. I found York’s story to be very interesting, and learned a lot more about World War One during my research. My time with the Center has been great, and has given me perspective on work that I would like to do with history in the future.

One of my favorite things about the Center is the artifacts that come in for us to sort and look through. When I do research on people who have long passed, it sometimes doesn’t click in my head that they were real people. Seeing and feeling items that belonged to them or reading documents about them that aren’t on a screen makes the veteran and what they did feel more real.

Participating in the internship at the center has been a challenging yet rewarding experience. The challenges I encountered pushed me to refine my research skills and encouraged me to approach topics with greater creativity and critical thinking.

What I found most compelling was the vast amount of information housed within the center’s filing cabinets—each document waiting to be discovered, analyzed, and catalogued. The sense of uncovering hidden knowledge was both exciting and intellectually stimulating.

Thank you for the opportunity to be part of this experience.

I have loved interning at the Center for the Study of Tennesseans and War! Aside from being able to see tons of interesting artifacts, such as letters, photos, and books, I believe the Center has a great mission. Sharing the stories of Veterans is very important to me, as I come from a military family, and I hope to work with the DPAA someday. Dr. Magra clearly loves what he does, and it inspires me to work hard for the mission daily!