Oral History Intern (History department)

Wesleyan University; Middletown (CT); Hybrid; USD 21,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT seeks an Oral History Intern to assist in administration, conducting, and production of interviews for the Manresa Stories and Coastal Communities and Climate Change Projects. You will gain skills in community engagement, project management, and videography in a project of scale.

Initial tasks in November 2026 involve trips to Norwalk, CT to document a local oyster history collection.

Qualifications

• Interest and experience in history or ethnography.
• Interest and experience in community-based projects.
• Experience in video production.
• Attention to detail, organization, and documentation.
• Comfort and interest in meeting and listening to all people.
• Preference for candidate eligible to become a Wesleyan driver and able to travel to site.

Responsibilities

• Document and interpret material culture and printed material related to interviews on coastal histories and fossil fuel industry.
• Contact potential participants by phone, email, and community events.
• Share information about the projects, objectives, process and access.
• Assist with scheduling of interviews.
• Assist with audio/visual support and equipment logistics for interviews.

Skills

History/ethnography

Community projects

Video production

Attention to detail

Interpersonal skills

Driver eligibility

Tools

TheirStory software

Video editing software

Job description

All applicants will be considered for this opportunity, regardless of work-study status.

Position Summary

The Department of History seeks to hire an Oral History Intern to assist in the administration, conducting, and production of interviews with participants in the Manresa Stories and Coastal Communities and Climate Change Projects. This position will help student employees gain skills such as community engagement, project management, and video production in oral history project of scale.

Initial tasks in November 2026 will require several trips to Norwalk, CT, to document a local collection on the history of oystering in the Long Island Sound, including material culture and printed material. Preference to candidate who is eligible to become a certified Wesleyan driver and who can commit several workdays to travel to site. See driver requirements here: https://www.wesleyan.edu/studentinvolvement/university-student-involvement-policies/Travel.html

Background Check

This position will NOT have unsupervised interactions with individuals under 18 years old, and does not require a background check.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Document and interpret material culture and printed material related to interviews on coastal communities of the Long Island Sound and industrial/post-industrial histories, including fossil fuel industry.
• Contact potential participants in oral history project by phone, email, and community events.
• Share information about the oral history projects, including objectives, process, and access/preservation (training provided).
• Assist with scheduling of interviews.
• Assist with audio and visual support for interviews, including booking, collecting, and returning campus equipment and videography/lighting/audio.
• Conduct interviews with participants using TheirStory oral history software (training provided).
• Edit videos and transcripts using TheirStory.
• Assist in project logistics, including uploading of release forms and records/documents shared by participants.
• Assist in the interpretation and exhibition of oral histories for multiple audiences (digital, community meetings, presentations).

Desired Skills & Qualifications

• Interest and experience in history or ethnography
• Interest and experience in community-based projects
• Experience in video production
• Attention to detail, organization, and documentation
• Comfort and interest in meeting and listening to all people.
• Preference to candidate who is eligible to become a certified Wesleyan driver and who can commit several workdays to travel to site - See driver requirements here: https://www.wesleyan.edu/studentinvolvement/university-student-involvement-policies/Travel.html

Schedule & Availability

• 2026-27 academic year, with potential for re-hire
• Flexible and variable hours per week, depending on scheduled interviews, but at least 5 - 10 hours per week.
• In-person and remote, requires travel within Connecticut to interview locations. Remote work must be completed from within the United States.
• Periodic meetings with supervising professors and staff required.

Primary Supervisor

Courtney Fullilove, Professor of History, Science and Technology Studies, Bailey College of the Environment, and College of Design and Engineering Studies, [e-mail]

Performance Evaluation

Supervisor will check in regularly and share feedback as applicable.