President's Leadership Program Internship Leads to the Future for Students

Upon the conclusion of the President’s Leadership Program (PLP) interview, Bryana Owens felt at home at CSU-Pueblo. Little did Owens know that PLP would lead to an internship that would span across multiple areas of campus and peak her interest in an area she had yet to consider: Archives.

Bryana Owens, a history and secondary education major with a minor in honors, leadership, and Spanish, recently completed an internship with Bev Allen, Associate Professor of Library Services, University Archivist, and Records Manager.  The internship included digital transcription, reading, general archives, the appraisal process of items, creating an online inventory, and display management.

“It’s something in my field and gets me into museums and what that looks like,” said Owens.

A large part of the internship included the Orman collection.  The collection has over 200 items and was gifted to the University in 1964.  The collection has been stored in various places all over the campus until the Library and Academic Resource Center (LARC) was given the collection in the early 2000's.  Now there is a space within the LARC to store the collection and a permanent display room on the first floor to use for CSU-Pueblo campus and the general public of Pueblo to view. 

The display for the Orman collection needed an update so Allen put Owens to work on writing descriptions, studying text for historical value, and even working on the display in order to preserve the items in their original state.  One piece especially valuable but difficult to manage was a dress display, which Owens worked with Allen and other resources to learn how to properly uphold the value and showcase.  

“I’m thrilled with Bryana’s work and now she’s going to be my work study for her last year here. It’s how we try to mentor student and see what their interests are and fit them to a position that matches what they want,” said Allen.

This sentiment of matching students to interests and possible careers is what the newly merged Center for Honors and Leadership looks to accomplish.  With Owens minoring in both honors and leadership she’s been able to seek out opportunities to explore her plans upon graduation.  In speaking with Dr. David Volk, new chair of the department, he explained the framework of merging the departments and what the Center for Honors and Leadership offers students.

“We’d like to see the center and these programs be where student work on long term goals.  What are they doing the day after graduation?  It’s about community, connections, mentors and who can help.  Then we’re connecting students to that,” said Volk.

As part of the PLP program Owens was required to participate in a service-learning project, hence the internship with archives in the LARC with Allen.  The tie for the project has bridged Owens experience with both her honors and leadership minor, involved her with Allen from Archives, the greater CSU-Pueblo campus for interactions with other professors, and with people in the community at both the Rawlings library and with Jose Ortega at El Pueblo History Museum.

 “He [Ortega] helped me with displays, he’s been really helpful.  There’s been a lot of people I’ve been connected to because of this internship,” said Owens.

The internship experience through PLP provided Owens the opportunity to continue her interest in museums, pursuing her education, and opening doors for partnerships within the campus and greater Pueblo community.  PLP is an academic leadership program at Colorado State University-Pueblo designed to develop multi-culturally competent transformational leaders, who will serve Colorado and the communities in which they live and work.

For more information about the Center for Honors and Leadership or PLP please contact Shelly Moreschini at 719-549-2060 or visit www.csupueblo.edu/presidents-leadership-program.  PLP is continually seeking partnerships in the community to connect scholars to the corporate, civic, and nonprofit sectors.