SHU Student Completes Internship at West Point Museum
Matthew Carravone helped transport historic artifacts to a storage facility in Washington, D.C.
Matthew Carravone ’24 put his unique combination of Sacred Heart University studies to good use during a summer internship at the West Point Museum in New York. He immersed himself in history and had the rare opportunity to help restore and transport historic artifacts.
Carravone learned about the internship through his mother’s involvement with the Rotary Club of Peekskill, NY, an organization that works to unite people and create positive change in communities. When the West Point Museum director spoke at a Rotary meeting, Carravone’s mother asked if there were any internship opportunities. Luckily for Carravone, the answer was “yes.”
Carravone said a history major with a minor in American history who also minors in chemistry, as he is doing, is unusual. The combination served him well, however; he used his chemistry knowledge most often at the museum for preservation purposes.
“Having a chemistry background and being a history major is a very useful combination in a museum. You understand the item’s significance and how to respect it from a material perspective so it does not get damaged,” he said.
No day was typical at the West Point Museum, Carravone said. He went into the internship planning to restore leather items from the Civil War era but, due to unforeseen circumstances, he ended up assisting in the transportation of historic artifacts from the museum to a storage facility in Washington, D.C.
It was a rare opportunity for Carravone and the museum staff, and the SHU senior said he learned a lot from the experience. He previously shared a common misconception with others who thought history majors are limited to a career as an educator. But the internship opened his eyes to possible jobs in historic preservation, so now he realizes he has more options.
“I have spent countless nights researching how I could best utilize each of my degrees in my future career. I learned that sometimes, simply immersing yourself in a situation is the best way to figure that out,” said Carravone. “Sacred Heart has definitely put me in a position where I know I will succeed in whatever I do in the future.”
Internships are a great way for students to test the waters of a possible career route and to make connections outside the classroom, said Kelly Marino, history professor. She is grateful Carravone had such an incredible experience.
“Matthew’s internship enabled him to network with professionals at other institutions and gain experience working in the field of public history,” said Marino. “He not only learned about the past but had the opportunity to gain valuable curatorial skills.”
Carravone is not certain of his post-graduation plans, but he anticipates returning to the museum in the future as a volunteer.