Thank You Interns

Two interns from the University of Pittsburgh––Kirsten Armstrong and Luke Meyer––and a graduate student from Duquesne University––Lauren Van Zandt––volunteered their time as interns with PHLF, January through April. They helped especially with PHLF’s educational programs and in writing a series of stories on “PHLF’s Greatest Saves,” in honor of our fiftieth anniversary.

We thank Kirsten, Luke, and Lauren for their time and energy on behalf of PHLF and wish them much success. They summed up the value of their experience with PHLF in the following comments:

“During my internship with the educational department of PH&LF, I grew as both a professional and a person because of the focus PHLF has on Pittsburgh’s architectural history. Through our educational programs, I not only got to teach and work with children in a way that helped them connect with their surroundings, but I also got to experience that same sense of connection. In addition, I was introduced to members of the preservation community, such as stained glass craftsman John Kelly and CMU professor Dr. Volker Hartkopf.” ––Kirsten Armstrong (Architecture, Historic Preservation; University of Pittsburgh)

“At PHLF I gained valuable experience by assisting in preservation-minded educational programs while attaining insight into the complexity of operating a nonprofit organization. I met many passionate, hard-working people from whom I learned so much. I was amazed by the number of programs that PHLF does for the education and preservation of Pittsburgh’s history.” –– Luke Meyer (Urban Studies; University of Pittsburgh)

“The most valuable aspect of my internship was how it pushed me out of my comfort zone. I had no experience judging middle schoolers’ architectural projects, interviewing people for articles, or preparing a book for publication. I’ve really appreciated the diversity of the projects I’ve had the opportunity to work on. –– Lauren Van Zandt (Public History; Duquesne University)