Meet the Taber Museum’s Summer Interns

Jul 30, 2021 gweber

The Taber Museum is a wonderful place to explore the history of Lycoming County and to gain experience in the historical and educational field. Every year, the Museum takes in high school and college students as interns, who are able to get real world experience with historical artifacts and written materials in a museum setting. Here are our 2021 summer interns:

Casey Hass

Casey Haas (Lycoming College Student) has recently joined us for the summer as our Williamsport Internship Summer Experience (WISE) student from Lycoming College. If his name sounds familiar, it should! He is also one of our weekend receptionists along with Patty Bowman. He has proven invaluable in the many facets of work associated with the Museum. He has worked diligently on the summer exhibit, researching many of the entities for label text. He has processed materials which have been accepted for inclusion in our permanent collection. He has honed his gardening skills helping the Director plant our annual beds in the front yard with flowers donated by Helminiak’s Greenhouses. His passion for the history of baseball may result in an article for our yearly Journal. Now that Casey has a taste of working in a museum, he is thinking of going on to Graduate School and majoring in Museum Studies. We know he would succeed because he is already a success story!

Aaron Bird

Aaron Bird (Bloomsburg University) is a senior history major at Bloomsburg University and will be graduating in May of 2022. He is the president of the Bloomsburg University Concert Choir and is a team leader at the Kehr Union Student Center on campus. At the Taber Museum, Aaron has researched and worked with artifacts involving the new summer exhibit. He will be assisting with History Camp as a counselor at the end of July. Aaron loves the outdoors and was involved in the Boy Scouts of America since he was 6 years old. He hiked the back country of Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico for 12 days in 2017 and received his Eagle Scout Award in January of 2018 with Troop 38 from the Church of St. Ann. Aaron graduated from South Williamsport High School in 2018 and is the son of Peg and Chris Bird. He plans to relocate to the Chicago area after graduation to further his experience and education.

Luke O'Brien

Luke O’ Brien (Loyalsock Township High School) a volunteer summer intern, comes to the museum locally from Loyalsock Township. Luke is the son of Andrew and Betty O’ Brien and has 2 siblings, Jack and Scarlet. He currently is a rising junior at Loyalsock Township High School and will graduate in the class of 2023. After high school, Luke plans to go to college to study either history or education. Luke attributes his interest in history to his 7th grade social studies teacher, Mr. Cook, and watching World War II documentaries with his dad. Luke’s favorite historical time period is the Industrial Revolution and the modern era, noting the “drastic change” and “impact of events on present day.” Outside of school, Luke’s hobbies include: playing guitar, as he is a member of the Uptown Music Collective; reading; and spending time outdoors, in which he says hiking is what he likes to do most outdoors.

MacKenzie Holmes

Mackenzie Holmes (Montgomery High School) a volunteer summer intern, comes to the museum locally from Montgomery. Mackenzie is the daughter of Larissa and Ken and is an only child. She currently is a rising senior at Montgomery High School and will graduate in the class of 2022. After high school, Mackenzie plans to go to her “dream school,” Lycoming College, to study either history or English with hopes of working in a museum or library with her degree. Mackenzie ascribes her interest in history and English to her love of reading, talking about history with her dad, and the time she found old Grit newspapers in the shed at her home which led to her interest in archival work. Her favorite time period in history is the 1940s. Mackenzie notes the 40s as a great example of a “war with a common enemy” that demonstrated a united America during World War II in addition to her love of the aesthetic of clothing worn in the 40s. Outside of school, Mackenzie’s hobbies include: reading; 4 different kinds of dance, including point ballet; knitting; and drawing.