Name: Madeleine Piersol
Class Year: 2027
Major: History
Minor: Peace, Conflict, and Social Justice Studies

Internship Organization: Bryn Mawr College, Department of Sociology
Internship Title: Summer Research Assistant
Location: Bryn Mawr, PA

What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!

I am a summer research assistant for Nora Taplin-Kaguru, a Bryn Mawr Sociology professor, and we are working on a literature review exploring the paradox of housing as a human right and housing as an asset. My days are largely filled with research! My responsibilities include conducting literature searches, reading and taking-notes on relevant books and articles, writing short memos on key topics, and drafting sections of the paper. Even though this internship is remote, it is highly collaborative. I meet with Professor Taplin-Kaguru and my co-research assistant everyday to discuss our progress, make decisions about next steps, and engage in group writing sessions. Before starting this internship, I was unsure what the process of writing an academic paper for publication looked like, so being able to not only see a researcher’s methods in action but also participate in writing the paper has been very insightful.

Why did you apply for this internship?

I applied for this internship because I have always enjoyed the research and writing process as a college student and was interested in the opportunity to learn from a professional in the field and hone my skills. I was also deeply interested in Professor Taplin-Kaguru’s research question: What are the contradictions of housing as an investment and housing as a right? I am passionate about social justice and human rights and was excited by the opportunity to conduct research on a related topic and learn more about the social justice issues underlying housing access and affordability, or more accurately the lack thereof.

Can you talk about the skills you are learning and why they are important to you?

I have been able to gain valuable skills throughout my internship experience that will prepare me for future academic and professional work. The key skills I am gaining are: research, writing, editorial, and analytical skills; organizational skills; and collaborative skills. First, I see my experience throughout this internship helping me conduct stronger research and write clearer, better organized, and more insightful papers throughout the rest of my time in college. I don’t think research tasks will feel as daunting or academic literate as intimidating because I will have gained so much experience conducting research and reading academic papers/books throughout the summer. Moreover, the project management and organizational skills I have learned throughout my internship will be applicable for both my academic work and my future professional endeavors. I will be better prepared to tackle complex projects (such as my senior project for the History department), adapt to challenges or changes, and remain dedicated and focused on my goal. Finally, as I move throughout the rest of my time at Bryn Mawr and into grad school or the professional field, I am certain I will encounter group work or collaborative projects, and I believe I will be able to navigate these experiences with a more open-mind, greater confidence, and clearer communication.

An unexpected impact of this internship is that it reshaped the way that I go to museums. There is even more for me to see now that I have learned about the many components that go into making an exhibition. The selection of paint colors, the readability of object labels, loans from other institutions, and more offer insight into the subject itself and how the exhibition was put together.

It was especially interesting to see the celebration of the country’s semi-quincentennial across the city and how different institutions interpreted and presented it. Thinking about, for instance, the APS’s exhibition about the reproduction of the Declaration of Independence alongside the Philadelphia Academy of the Fine Arts’ thematic overview of both historic and contemporary art brought up questions about how ideas of freedom have been understood and carried on. This was a useful exercise in how to get the most out of museum visits.

Can you give us three adjectives and three nouns that describe your internship experience?

Three adjectives to describe my experience are: Pertinent, Insightful, and Rigorous.

Three nouns to describe my experience are: Growth, Perseverance, and Discovery.