Thanks to generous donor support and strong community partnerships, Columbus State University history students are gaining hands-on experience this summer through fully funded internships at nationally recognized military museums. These opportunities allow students to work directly with museum professionals while building skills that connect their academic studies to real careers.

Internships are a key part of CSU’s commitment to student success. They give students the chance to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom, explore their career interests, and gain valuable experience before graduation. But for many students, unpaid internships just aren’t an option.

“We want to make sure students never have to choose between taking an internship and earning a paycheck,” said Dr. David Kieran, the Col. Richard R. Hallock Distinguished Chair in Military History in the Department of History, Geography & Philosophy. “Thanks to donor support, we’re able to offer paid opportunities that give our students a real path forward.”

One of those students is junior history major Andy Knap. He’s spending the summer interning at the U.S. Army Armor and Cavalry Collection on Fort Benning. Knap has been volunteering with the collection for three years, but this internship gave him the chance to work as part of the professional team.

Knap’s role includes giving tours to visitors, teaching soldiers, and helping restore historic military vehicles. He’s also gaining experience in curatorial work, which builds on experience he has gained in the university’s Archives & Special Collections, and is helping him prepare for a future career in museums.

His main project focuses on restoring a World War II-era Sherman tank to represent decorated U.S. Army tanker Lafayette Pool. Knap is researching Pool’s story in the collection’s archives and is writing both interpretive signage and an article that will be published in the “Armor and Cavalry Journal” later this year.

“I’ve always wanted to work in museums, but this internship really confirmed it for me,” Knap said. “It opened my eyes to what a curator actually does.”

He also shared how much the financial support has made a difference in his ability to say yes to this opportunity. “It is helping me pay for the gas to get to and from base, along with a large amount of my rent and bills. Without it, this probably wouldn’t have been possible.”

Two additional history students, Stephanie Smith and Trinity McAfee, are currently interning at the National Infantry Museum. These placements were also made possible through local philanthropic support.

CSU’s partnerships with both military museums have not only created meaningful internships but also built lasting relationships that benefit students, the institutions, and the greater Columbus community, according to Kieran (pictured).

“We are in a unique position to build these partnerships because our community believes in our students,” Kieran said. “Their support allows students to do real public history work that makes a difference.”