History students learn World War II stories by designing museum exhibit
Fourteen undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences are learning the personal stories of American soldiers who fought in World War II and their families back home.
They’re also learning how to present those stories to a wide audience.
In the course, History Hands-On, the students are putting together a museum exhibit, from idea to final installation.
“The class is designed to introduce undergraduate students, from a variety of majors, how historians work and how we tell historic stories,” explained Elizabeth DeWolfe, Ph.D., professor of history and co-founder of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program. “We could write them in a book, we could write them in a scholarly article or we could display them to a public audience.”
The students are using the archival collections of UNE's library, specifically the Randall J. Cushing Collection of War Letters, to build a professional-level exhibit.
While DeWolfe’s focus is on history, she’s calling on her students to lend other talents to the project.
“We have an art major, Kaitlin Thibeau (‘19), helping us design the museum panels,” she said. “She's using her graphic and aesthetic skills to contribute to a historical story. It’s empowering and it's fabulous to see.”
One student is contributing photos of relatives who fought during World War II and a letter to her grandfather that was never sent. The letter was about her grandfather’s mother passing away while he was serving. Relatives knew the news would be too difficult to take, so they never sent it.
“They just hid it in a cookbook,” recalled Lauren Principe (Marine Biology, ’22). “A few years ago, my mom was going through the basement and found the cookbook. The letter just slipped out.”
Principe says the project is giving her insight into her family’s heritage.
“The class is really helping me gain an understanding of what they went through,” she commented.
Audrey Bourque (Nursing, ’22) says the class is helping her learn about the military. She plans to become a nurse in the United States Air Force after graduation.
“I'm actually putting together a panel on nursing for the exhibit,” she explained. “Looking back and seeing the
differences from what happened back then in nursing to what I'm learning about it now, is really interesting.”
The exhibit will also include a panel on President George H.W. Bush, who served as a fighter pilot in the war.
“Because of the Bush family’s connection to this university and the recent passing of President Bush and his wife Barbara, the students felt very strongly about including his story in this exhibit, which is great,” DeWolfe stated.
An opening celebration for the exhibit, titled, "No One Fights Alone: WWII in the Pacific," will be held on April, 26 in the UNE library gallery.
