Hands-On History: Alexa Koeckritz at the Fairfax Circuit Court Historic Records Center
1) Where was your internship and how did you find it?
My internship was at the Fairfax Circuit Court Historic Records Center (HRC). I worked under Alex Campbell, an archivist at the HRC, as a research assistant and member of the Judicial Learning Center working group. I found this internship through the George Mason history department’s email blast over the summer and was immediately interested due to my interest in archival work.
2) What were your main responsibilities on the job?
My main responsibilities on the job were researching the first female juror in Fairfax County for a Found in the Archives article and later adaptation into an exhibit for the Judicial Learning Center (a set of locally-focused exhibits currently in development to serve as a companion to Fairfax County Public School’s 8th-grade field trip to the courthouse). My additional responsibilities included the digital indexing of archives, on-site visits to local historic institutions for further research (Fairfax County Park Authority, the Virginia Room, and Fairfax City Museum), research of the historic jail on courthouse property as part of the development of a walking tour of the legal campus and attending JLC working group meetings to provide a younger perspective to the project. I spent lots of time working firsthand with archived records, and then summarizing what I found in reports to my supervisor.
3) What were the most rewarding aspects of your internship?
The most rewarding aspects of my internship were the large projects I was able to complete and the knowledge that the research I did will be used to create future exhibits that showcase local women’s history. I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the team that was developing the Judicial Learning Center and cannot wait to see our hard work installed and come to life in the spring. I am proud of myself for working on such a big project in conjunction with professional archivists, historians, lawyers, and judges, and I believe I offered the team valuable insight into new exhibit technologies and how to best engage a younger audience.
4) What was your biggest accomplishment?
My biggest accomplishment during my internship was being offered a job at the end of my time. The HRC created a limited-term position for the Judicial Learning Center in the last few weeks of my internship, which would focus on leading the 8th-grade tours and conducting further research for future exhibits. I was the first choice for this position, which felt like recognition for my hard work over the semester and reassurance that I would be a good candidate for being a professional in the history field. While I ultimately could not commit to this year-long job due to scheduling conflicts, I felt very proud of receiving this offer and would have been happy to continue working with the Judicial Learning Center.
5) What did your internship teach you about being a professional historian?
My internship taught me that being a professional historian is a real possibility, as I was able to meet many professionals in different sectors of the history field during my site visits to local history institutions. I met people working in archives, collections management, museum administration, law libraries, and archaeology fields just in Fairfax County! My experience opened my eyes to the many different jobs available for someone with a history degree and gave me confidence that I will be able to find a job that fits my interests.
6) Did anything surprise you?
Something that surprised me was how much research I was doing during my internship. I love researching interesting topics, so this was a welcome surprise, but I was expecting the internship to be focused on more menial tasks such as indexing and digitizing archives. I did complete a few small indexing projects, but it was far from the focus of my internship. Instead, I was actively engaging with people in local government and was able to publish my own writing and findings in the HRC newsletter. As this was my first internship, I was very surprised at how much of a voice and active role I had during the entire process.
7) Is there anything else you would like to share about your internship experience?
My internship was overall a great experience, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys research and wants to learn more about local history institutions. In general, I would also recommend the Historic Records Center's extensive archive and staff as a great resource for any students/researchers looking into Fairfax County history!
January 24, 2025