Prejudice and racism are not things of the past to Warren Rosenblum. He recently started a partnership with The Holocaust Museum & Learning Center, which gives students internship opportunities with hands on experience by researching world issues.
Warren Rosenblum, an associate professor who teaches history courses at Webster, believes the museum has received good responses.
“The museum is branching into giving people an introduction to issues of genocide worldwide,” Rosenblum said. “They didn’t want people to leave without that knowledge.”
Rosenblum has volunteered at the museum since 2000, giving speeches and teaching tour guides the ropes. Rosenblum and professor Michael Hulsizer approached President Stroble about the idea of joining Webster and the museum; Stroble approved.
A donor of the Holocaust Museum & Learning Center agreed with the mission and dedicated a portion of the museum to genocide since World War II.
Sabrina Reveron, a graduate international relations major, was a part of the internship program when it first started.
“I believe in the mission of what they’re doing,” Reveron said. “Plus it’s part of Webster’s mission to be global citizens.”
The interns aid the Holocaust museum in doing research on past international events involving genocide and war crimes, and placing them on a touch screen storyboard for visitors to look at while at the museum. As an added bonus, the professors pitch in and drive students from Webster to the museum, which is 22 minutes away, since many of the interns don’t have cars.
Myrna Meyer, the chairman of the exhibit, believes that people think that genocide could never happen again.
“People like to say, ‘never again,’ and when people walk into the room, we want to say, ‘yeah, again, again,’ and then we want you to take action,” Meyer said.
The intended audience for the learning center message is middle and high school students. The storyboard will have definitions covering a wide range of topics dedicated to their cause.
Jean Cavender, the director of the Holocaust Museum, is glad that Webster decided to allow students to help out.
“It’s a great exchange for us by doing the research for the content that we put on the board,” Cavender said.
When the internship program began in 2010, there were only three students. Those students dedicated their research to three countries: Cambodia, Bosnia and Rwanda. Now, the student participation has expanded to five students covering topics in China, Thailand and Turkey.
Nick Cristel, a graduate in international relations, is a new addition to the program this year.
“I was on career connections and saw Rosenblum was the contact,” Cristel said. “I shot him a message on Facebook and he was more than happy to take me on.”
The internship is unpaid and, like the majority of Webster’s students, Cristel works 15 hours a week. The interns in this program accept this as an experience.
“Webster has impacted me and my family and the way I do voluntary work,” Reveron said. “This experience has definitely helped me.”
The Holocaust Museum & Learning Center is located at 12 Millstone Campus Dr. in St. Louis.
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