Help Make American History This Summer

The Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum (www.nixonlibrary.gov), a nonpartisan federal institution operated by the National Archives and Records Administration, is seeking talented and energetic undergraduate students to work as paid interns from June 1, 2009, to August 7, 2009.

Interns will assist with substantial and meaningful projects, such as researching the Nixon administration, participating in the organization and release of an extensive video oral history program, and creating content for our Web site and museum exhibitions. Interns will participate in discussions with experts in fields such as the Cold War, espionage, presidential history, and museum administration and take part in seminars and other learning opportunities throughout the summer. Interns will contribute to the work of a major national center for the study of the presidency, American history, and the life and times of Richard Nixon.

We are seeking driven candidates with a demonstrated record of accomplishment. In choosing interns, we are not guided by an applicants' major field of study but by their commitment to serious and impartial inquiry, their passion for public service, and their interest in the work of a nonpartisan institution. We welcome applications from students majoring not only in history, political science, and international relations but also in other fields such as business, marketing, public history, museum studies, Asian studies, African-American studies, economics, journalism, and communications (particularly new media). Familiarity with research using electronic databases such as ProQuest, JSTOR, and EBSCOHost is welcome. Applicants must be U.S. citizens.

To apply, please send a current resume, one or two letters of recommendation, a current transcript (a photocopy or other informal version is acceptable), and a cover letter explaining why you would like to be an intern at the Nixon Library to:

    Internship Program c/o Dr. Timothy Naftali
    Director, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum
    18001 Yorba Linda Blvd.
    Yorba Linda, CA 92886

You may also email the application to nixon@nara.gov.

Applications must be postmarked or emailed no later than March 20. Interns will be hired on a rolling basis beginning on March 1. Late applications will not be considered. Finalists will be interviewed in person or by telephone. Please direct any questions to Paul Musgrave, internship coordinator, at paul.musgrave@nara.gov.

What Previous Interns Say
“As a Library intern, I acquired a better understanding of not only the Nixon administration, but also the modern American political system as a whole.  I had the opportunity to refine my research and writing skills, observe the behind-the-scenes workings of a museum, and become part of a wonderful community.  It's definitely an experience I would recommend!”
--Michelle, Harvard University sophomore

“I am truly able to say that my internship has been an extremely educational, valuable, and rewarding experience. I did not spend 8 weeks on coffee runs or in the copy room--rather, I worked on substantive projects which will have an impact on future historical research into the presidency of Richard Nixon. My experience with NARA definitively shaped my academic focus and my career goals.”
--Jerry, Yale University senior

“Through hands-on work with the Library’s oral history collection, I have helped make the inner workings of the Nixon administration more accessible to citizens and scholars. The Library’s staff and my fellow interns were a delight to work with. I left my summer in Yorba Linda with a deeper understanding of the Nixon administration and, perhaps more important, I had assisted in making new information about the Nixon era available to the public, letting people draw their own conclusions about Richard Nixon’s legacy.”
--Megan, Oxford University graduate student

About the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum

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