Crete student connects the past to the present

Related Media

Greg Rossbach works on preserving history.

ROMEOVILLE, IL (06/11/2013)(readMedia)--  Public outreach for a historic site and archiving historic documents were the main tasks of the Lockport Woman's Club/Pat Darin Internship that Lewis University graduate Greg Rossbach of Crete completed in the spring semester.

"This internship has really helped me grow as a historian, as I have learned to undertake new and challenging responsibilities," Rossbach said.

As part of the internship, Rossbach worked on public outreach for the Gaylord Building Historic site. For the historic site, he developed a preliminary draft of a three-fold flyer and rack card for public programs. He also drafted a script for summer walking tours.

Rossbach, a senior history major and theatre minor, also assisted with the Howard and Lois Adelmann Regional History Collection, located in the Lewis University Library. He processed materials in the archive from local organizations, such as the Joliet Historic Preservation Commission and the Lockport Sesquicentennial. He learned to categorize, group, and place documents into acid free folders and boxes for preservation. He also added the information to the collection's catalog, which describes the contents of each folder and box. He also provided an overall description of the collection and a brief history.

"I have also learned a great deal from the library staff, especially Robert Pruter, government documents librarian," Rossbach concluded.

Dennis H. Cremin, history professor and internship supervisor, commented, "The Lockport Woman's Club encourages our students to gain hands-on experience in local history. We're grateful for the many students they have supported financially over the past four years to preserve local history."

The Lockport Woman's Club/Pat Darin Internship is a partnership between the Lockport Women's Club and Lewis University. Named for Pat Darin, long-time volunteer at the Will County Historical Society and member of the Lockport Women's Club, the internship is awarded to a history student interested in learning more about local history who will also receive a stipend of $2,000.

History degree students at Lewis University study noteworthy events, ideas, persons and civilizations. They are prepared to analyze modern-day economic, social and political happenings with deeper clarity and wisdom. Lewis University's modern and global curriculum help set the stage for students to graduate as a game-changer, with an intelligent interdisciplinary background in what they believe, why they believe it, and the research and communication skills necessary to make a difference.

Lewis University is a Catholic university in the Lasallian tradition offering distinctive undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 6,500 traditional and adult students. Lewis offers multiple campus locations, online degree programs, and a variety of formats that provide accessibility and convenience to a growing student population. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis prepares intellectually engaged, ethically grounded, globally connected, and socially responsible graduates. The seventh largest private not-for-profit university in Illinois, Lewis has been nationally recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report. Visit http://www.lewisu.edu for further information.