Centre News

Erin Duffy '13 (above, in front of Chowan) is currently interning
as a research assistant at the Cincinnati Museum Center.

Duffy says the "art deco design" of the Cincinnati Museum Center
"has always attracted me to the building. It's very easy to
imagine the Rotunda filled with people catching their trains or
returning from a journey."

Cincinnati native Erin Duffy '13 has been a fan of the Cincinnati Museum Center for as long as she can remember, and this summer, she is fulfilling the dream of interning at the place she has treasured for so long.

"While I was growing up, the Center's three museums, Omnimax and special exhibits guaranteed that I would visit at least once a year," Duffy says. "As I started to learn about the history of Cincinnati and the Museum Center, I began to realize that it was possible to sense all of history just by walking in. It's very easy to imagine the Rotunda filled with people catching their trains or returning from a journey. Being able to experience history in such a vivid manner is what made me fall in love with the Cincinnati Museum Center."

The history major says that "spending a summer working in my favorite place in all of Cincinnati" has long been her dream, and thus far, the experience of being a research assistant has easily met her expectations.

"I'm really enjoying learning the ins and outs of museums," she says. "I had a rough idea about how things might operate, but being able to sit in on meetings, watch interactions and ask any questions that come to mind has made my first few weeks a lot of fun."

Although the work is new to her, Duffy says her time at Centre has prepared her for the challenges she faces. "I'm used to digging out the important facts from hours of reading and turning those facts into a project," she says.

In addition, she believes that working at Danville's Community Arts Center for the Bonner Program has been invaluable in preparing her for the internship. "Last year, I was able to help design and build their 'All Aboard!' exhibit," she says, "and having that knowledge of exhibits and creating programs has helped me so much in developing programs for the History Museum here."

Having already grown familiar with the inner workings of museums, Duffy is eager to pursue a career in museums or historic preservation.

"This internship has taught me that going to work can be something to look forward to," she says, "and I don't think that I'll ever be able to settle for a job that doesn't make me excited to go in every morning."

Every student is guaranteed an internship experience as part of the Centre Commitment, which also promises every student a study abroad experience and graduation in four years.

To learn more about internships at Centre, click here.

Have comments, suggestions, or story ideas? E-mail leigh.cocanougher@centre.edu with your feedback.

Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Forbes magazine ranks Centre 24th among all the nation's colleges and universities and has named Centre No. 1 among all institutions of higher education in the South for two years in a row. Centre alumni, known for their nation-leading loyalty in annual financial support, include two U.S. vice presidents and two Supreme Court justices. For more, click here.