A class by themselves

By Bridget Bielefeld

To baseball fans and Cooperstown natives, the Class of 2009 consists of Joe Gordon, Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice.  

But to a group of interns, the class of 2009 refers to 21 students from 14 states who bonded over a summer working at the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Now in its ninth year, the Frank and Peggy Steele Internship Program is a 10-week experience that offers college students an opportunity to work alongside Museum and Library professionals. 

With 13 specialized departments ranging from collections to curatorial and membership to multi-media, the internship allows students to gain hands-on training in a field that closely matches his or her major.

As a public relations student, the chance to work in the communications department was invaluable.  I was able to hone writing and editing skills while receiving constructive feedback. However, to pinpoint the best experience would be too difficult. How do you choose between meeting Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith and attending a press conference with Henderson and Rice? Or between working at the inaugural Hall of Fame Classic and handling timeless baseball artifacts?

And then there are those 20 other interns.

They are some of the brightest and most charismatic people I have ever met – and while 3,000 miles will soon separate some of us, we will forever be bonded by our experience in Cooperstown.

After all, we are the class of 2009.

To learn more about the Frank and Peggy Steele Internship Program including how to apply, visit www.baseballhall.org/education.

Bridget Bielefeld is the 2009 Public Relations intern at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.