This summer, Lauren Carmen, a history undergraduate student, had the opportunity to intern at the Eisenhower National Historic Site just outside of the Gettysburg Battlefield in Pennsylvania. In her younger years, she often visited historic sites with her family, including several trips to Gettysburg. However, one year, her family trip included a stop just outside of the infamous battleground national park to see the the historic site of the farm of the 34th President of the United States. It was then that she knew she wanted to be a part of such a historic part of our nations past.
Lauren spent the summer of 2025 as a park intern at the Eisenhower National Historic Site, where she dove deep into the history of the property where Ike and his family spent many a weekend. Over the summer, she developed programs, gave tours of the historic farm, answered visitor questions and learned a lot. “The connections you make are huge, and you never know what doors will open,” she said, as we discussed her internship experience.
As a part of the internship, she worked with several other interns from colleges around the country, including Penn State, Gettysburg College, and Hobart and William Smith College. Lauren was also taught by park rangers, some of whom ended up becoming close friends. Each day was filled with historical Park Service research, talking with visitors, and thematic guided tours, which she was able to curate based on her interests and background research.
Lauren loved the experience because it taught her about how to make history matter to the public. The Park Rangers and other interns pushed her to think and grow in new ways. Throughout the summer, she grew in her public speaking skills, as well as research and analysis. However, her infectious style was on full display when she was spouting off random historical facts about the Eisenhower property. She shared several images that documented her experience there, several of which she has showcased in this document that she put together.
Lauren would like to thank and acknowledge the Eisenhower National Historic Site staff as well as the BGSU History Department for allowing her this opportunity to grow and learn. She is looking forward to other potential historic park internships before her time at BGSU is complete.