NDSU’s public history program is hosting its summer field school from May 27 to June 8 in Braddock, North Dakota.
NDSU’s public history program is hosting its summer field school this May and June to give students an opportunity to get hands-on experience and help a museum in Braddock, North Dakota, interpret its collection and tell a regional story.
NDSU’s public history field school has worked with historical societies and museums across North Dakota since 2015, bringing fresh energy to community-led history projects.
This year, from May 27 to June 8, students and faculty will collaborate with the Braddock Printing Museum, run by longtime historian and newspaper publisher Allan Burke. The museum is home to vintage printing presses, historic documents, and other artifacts that reflect the state’s publishing and printing history. Like many small museums, it relies on volunteers and needs support to keep its legacy alive.
Angela Smith, NDSU professor of history and director of public history, will lead the field school.
The program starts with a week of training and planning at NDSU, where students will cover topics like interpretive planning, exhibit label writing, digitization and public engagement. They’ll head to Braddock to put their skills to work while living and collaborating with the local community.
Students will conduct research, organize artifacts, and write, design and install interpretive panels in the museum. They will also help organize and document the collection and conduct oral histories with local stakeholders. By discovering the history of both the presses and the people who ran them, they’ll help make the museum more accessible and engaging.
A key part of the program is community involvement. Allan Burke and the South Central Threshing Association, a local group dedicated to preserving agricultural history, are providing food and lodging for students during their time in Braddock. This support allows students to fully immerse themselves in the town while contributing to a project that will have a lasting impact.
This field school isn’t just about earning academic credit, it’s about students applying what they’ve learned in a real-world setting. Whether they’re interested in museums, archives, education or heritage tourism, they’ll gain valuable experience in collection management, historical interpretation and community engagement.
Small-town museums across North Dakota face challenges in keeping their histories alive and initiatives like the NDSU public history field school provide much-needed support. In Braddock, students will help ensure the museum remains an active and meaningful space for years to come. At the same time, they’ll walk away with a greater appreciation for local history and their role in preserving it.
The field school is open to students seeking credit in public history, American history or as an internship. It’s a chance to step outside the classroom, work on a meaningful project, and make a real impact in a community that values its past.
