Our Fall Intern Christine Yorgbor recently completed her internship at MAB. In her final blog post, Christine reflects on processing the General Diacony collection and reaching professional and personal goals, all while continuing to reach for the stars. Thank you Christine for all your hard work!

It is now the end of my time here at the archives, a statement I knew was inevitable. Although I knew this day would come, what I did not expect was what this experience would come to mean to me, both professionally and personally. Since realizing my professional path, I have consistently worked toward and daydreamed of the person I aspire to be in this field: someone who is confident, kind, grounded in both theory and experience, understands the importance of paying it forward, and appreciates every opportunity to the fullest. At the same time, I hope to reflect that it is never too late to begin the race toward achieving your goals. Each opportunity has been a step in the right direction of my journey, helping me realize what working in archives truly stands for, what I can bring to the table, and what this work can and will look like in my future endeavors.

The General Diacony Collection was intimidating, to say the least, when I first arrived at the Moravian Archives Bethlehem. Some may recall how cartoon characters’ legs violently tremble when they get nervous-well, I could have easily been a lead for Cartoon Network. I remember doubting myself during that first week. “Can I really do this? Did they choose the right person? German?!” It quickly became clear, however, that this was meant to be a challenge. I realized I was being trusted to help preserve history, and once that settled in, being nervous was no longer an option. I wanted to be tested. This was THE opportunity to answer questions I had about myself and my capabilities.

This collection surprised me in countless ways. From seeing how the history and inner workings of the Bethlehem community were preserved, to learning how to understand the dialogue used in financial records, to the most fulfilling of all- understanding the full process of taking raw materials and transforming them into a processed collection. I was beyond grateful to have the chance to learn and work with Mrs. Dee who took the time to teach me how to make phase boxes and enclosers. My time with her was the highlight of internship! My appreciation for the archival field, and for the care and labor that go into every collection, big or small, has deepened in all the best ways. The collection, this internship, and the incredible team at MAB have shown me what patience, responsibility, teamwork, and problem-solving truly look like in archival work and confirmed that this is exactly the kind of professional space I want to grow in.

My time here at MAB raised the bar. I walk away from this experience with the biggest smile on my face, the satisfaction of knowing I did my best and the sense of fulfillment I will continue to chase. If I can accomplish processing my first archival collection just after a short three years of the little lightbulb that went off when I discovered this field, what else can I do?

Thank you to Kaitlin, Tom, Mrs. Dee, Emma, Mrs. Kelly, Paul, Jonathan, Mrs. Heather, and Kyle for helping make a dream come true.