Internship Program Mission Statement  

The Historic New Orleans Collection’s internship program offers students and emerging public history professionals a unique opportunity to engage with collections that represent the creative heritage and rich history of Louisiana. HNOC internships foster experiential learning through exploration, inquiry, and practice. We aim to create an environment that enables interns to identify, actualize, and confidently pursue their academic and professional goals. 

Program Description 

The Derven Scholars Program provides student interns with a distinctive opportunity to explore the intersections of education, museum pedagogy, and public history. This program fosters an innovative approach to instructional methodologies and curriculum development in the fields of Social Studies education, where interns will translate historical themes into supplemental classroom resources.  

The intern(s) will engage in: 

• Applied Research Methodologies - Learn to navigate museum archives and identify primary sources that align with state educational standards. 
• Museum Pedagogy - Explore how informal learning environments (like museums) enhance and support formal K-12 social studies and humanities instruction. 
• Academic Standard Alignment - Gain practical experience in ensuring creative content meets the rigorous requirements of modern social studies curricula for K-12 learners. 
• Curriculum Development - Develop curriculum and educational materials that align with modern educational standards while maintaining historical integrity. 

Summer 2026 Project Theme - American Revolution: The Augmented Exhibition

The theme for the Summer 2026 Derven Scholars program will center on the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence as well as a new traveling exhibit HNOC will be hosting as part of the larger United States Semi quincentennial America250 celebrations. The American Revolution: The Augmented Exhibition, now on view at the Historic New Orleans Collection, immerses visitors in the story of America’s fight for independence. Using the exhibit’s Histopad tablets, visitors can explore 3-D reconstructions of the defining moments of the Revolution while also meeting the diverse cast of thinkers, leaders, soldiers, and everyday men and women that helped make this incredible story happen. 

The goal of the Summer 2026 Derven Scholars program will be designing and developing inclusive educational materials related to the topic of America250 in order to foster a comprehensive understanding of this complex narrative. The end project of the program can take many forms, from traditional lesson plans and fact sheets, to mapping and time lines, primary resource sets or video or PowerPoint presentations. All materials that will be developed will first be approved by HNOC Education staff and must be adaptable for multiple grade levels. 

 Candidate Requirements 

• Must be at least 21 years of age. 
• Must reside in New Orleans or within a reasonably commuting distance. 
• Must be currently enrolled as an undergraduate student of junior or senior status or a graduate student at a New Orleans-based university. 

Preferred Qualifications:  

• Currently pursuing an BA/BS, MA/MS, MAT, M.Ed. in a field related to Education, Social Science, or Humanities. 
• Completion of coursework in curriculum design, learning theory, or specialized topics of multicultural education or specific content-area pedagogy. 
• Familiarity with K-12 Louisiana Student Standards for Social Studies. 
• Teaching experience in a classroom or informal educational setting. 
• Interest and/or experience in Social Studies Education, Museum Education, or Public History.