Luther College student Emily Hursh interned this past spring at the US Supreme Court

Emily Hursh, a rising senior, interned at the Supreme Court this past spring.

Emily Hursh, a rising senior at Luther College majoring in history and minoring in museum studies, applied what she learned at Luther during a spring 2024 internship for the highest court in the U.S. Hursh, a rising senior from St. Charles, Minnesota, was able to connect her history studies at Luther with her internship duties at the Supreme Court of the United States in Washington, D.C.

Hursh completed the collections management internship for the Office of the Curator at the court. She spent her days cataloging and organizing items in the court’s archives. This included making high quality images of ephemera in the court’s archives and maintaining the digital archives. She also assisted staff members with research and public programs.

“I’ve always been interested in the background of items or objects,” Hursh said. “I’ve always wanted to understand why an object is important and how it came to be that way.” 

During her internship, Hursh was also able to sit in on oral arguments for the Supreme Court, giving her a firsthand look at the judicial branch. 

“One of the best parts of the experience is understanding more how the judicial branch operates,” Hursh said. 

Hursh did her internship through the Lutheran College Washington Semester, a personalized program where students from Lutheran-affiliated colleges engage in academic and professional opportunities in the nation’s capital. 

She chose to come to Luther for its history program; she connected with the history major through all it had to offer. She’s taken a variety of history courses during her time at Luther, including upper level history classes on American empires in Asia and apartheid in Africa. She took the course “Historian’s Craft,” which helped her better understand historical interpretation. 

She was excited by Luther’s museum studies minor, which is generally only offered in graduate level programs. The program helped her learn the fundamentals of managing collections and archiving objects. 

“Choosing Luther felt right,” Hursh said. “It felt comfortable.” 

“Emily is an excellent student, setting the highest standards for herself. She is also a valuable asset to the history department, always willing to assist departmental events, meet prospective students, and moderate panels of student speakers,” Robert Christman, professor of history at Luther, said. “Students like her don’t just learn about the past, they make the department function as a community. It is difficult to overestimate just how important this work is. “

After Hursh graduates from Luther, she plans to attend graduate school for library sciences or archival conservation. 

About Luther College

At Luther College in beautiful Decorah, Iowa, students explore big questions and take action to benefit people, communities and society. Our academic programs, experiential approach to learning and welcoming community inspire students to learn actively, live purposefully and lead courageously for a lifetime of impact. Learn more at luther.edu.