For students in Wayne State's Department of History, an education doesn't only come while sitting in a classroom.

Last summer, several students interned at museums across the country as well as right here. From public archaeology outreach in Colorado to developing a digital history project at the Detroit Historical Museum, students received an all-encompassing view of careers in their field.

Wayne State's location in the heart of Detroit's cultural district — packed with numerous world-renowned museums — provides a unique advantage to those studying the liberal arts. WSU history Ph.D. candidate Lillian Wilson (pictured) can attest to that.

Last summer, Wilson interned at the Detroit Historical Museum and helped build an oral and video history project focused on the city's infamous 1967 civil unrest. Wilson interviewed former and current Detroit residents to help share the story of the tumultuous time directly from those who lived it.

"It was a wonderful and truly rare experience," Wilson said. "Not just executing this major project, but also sitting down with more than 60 Detroiters, from a former Mayor to stay-at-home mothers who ran food and clothing drives during the riots. As a result, I feel more connected to my community, have a better understanding of the underlying structures that sparked the riots and am keenly aware of the challenges and advantages the city faces today."

Traveling farther west, Kaitlin Scharra, a graduate student studying public history at WSU, spent the summer at the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center in Cortez, Colorado, helping students of all ages explore Ancestral Pueblo culture. Scharra developed curriculum, organized summer camps and led field trips through places like Mesa Verde National Park.

"This internship was invaluable," Scharra said of the experience. "Not only have I gained specialized work experience in public archaeology outreach, but in curriculum development as well. I wouldn't have had this internship without the combined support of the WSU anthropology and history departments."