This summer, I had a great opportunity to conduct research at Denison Library, Scripps College’s special collections library. I was the Ellen Browning Scripps Intern so that I could dive deeply into the history of Ellen Browning Scripps and her family. As an English major and Scripps student, this research experience was significant and valuable, giving me a chance to connect with the history of Scripps College and do immersive humanities-based research.
Working closely with primary documents such as letters, diaries, and articles, I pieced together a portrait of Ellen Browning Scripps that I wasn’t aware of before. I always introduced Miss Scripps as a philanthropist on my tours, but I learned she was much more. She was a trailblazing journalist, traveler, and advocate for women’s rights. It was fascinating to explore her contributions to the Scripps family’s media empire and her reflections on the rapidly changing world of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She lived through the Civil War and the First World War, evolving throughout her years.
But what made this internship truly memorable wasn’t just the research—it was the experience of being a researcher at Denison Library. Guided by Jennifer Martinez Wormser, Denison Library’s extraordinary librarian, the other interns and I learned how to handle fragile archival materials, ask the right questions, and synthesize our findings into meaningful pieces of work. Jennifer’s mentorship and collaborative spirit transformed what could have been an intimidating process into a rewarding exploration.
The environment we worked in was so supportive. Research often has a reputation for being isolating, but this experience was the opposite. Other interns investigated a range of topics, from activism at Scripps to the evolution of textile arts, and at lunch, we regularly shared our discoveries in the Denison Library courtyard.
As someone who’s always loved the humanities, I appreciated the support and availability of humanities internships at Denison Library. Unlike STEM fields, where structured research opportunities abound, finding paid, hands-on experiences in the humanities can be more challenging.
My summer at Denison Library was more than an internship; it was a chance to connect with the past while discovering my potential as a scholar. If you’re curious about Ellen Browning Scripps and her remarkable family, I recommend visiting Denison Library!