IPFW Student’s Project Displayed In Gallery Of WWII Museum
One major project and one-hundred and twenty hours later, museum Intern, Emily Fischer, recently completed “A Soldier’s Essentials”; a three-dimensional display for the WWII Victory Museum galleries.
Fischer, a Kendallville resident, executed everything from the planning, researching, and actual construction of the 4’x8’ shadow box as part of her requirements for an Internship under Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne’s History program.
Titled “A Soldier’s Essentials”, the display highlights over 50 items an American soldier may have carried with them in training or in combat. Items such as a pocket guide to Germany, personal journal, dispensary chow pass, sewing kits, etc. can be seen. The collage is a personal look at the possessions a WWII soldier relied on to help them survive the war.
Getting up close and personal is exactly why Fischer chose to complete such a project. “The human element of World War II and the story behind the picture, the soldier. Connecting through that is why I enjoyed working on the shadow box so much,” explained Fischer.
More than just tangible artifacts, Fischer learned through research and personal documents that many of the items were life lines for some soldiers. Spiritually, physically, and mentally, each object tells a different story for a different solider. And even if that story involves a can of personal insecticide powder, Fischer stills finds it “fascinating”.
The shadow box is the first of its kind in the museum galleries and hopefully not the last. “Internships are an important part of the development of the DVK Foundation and the Museum’s programs and exhibits, explains Executive Director, Bob Krafft. We hope to take what she’s accomplished and build on that.”
In the past, Interns from Tri-State, IPFW, IWU, and Ivy Tech have gained hands-on experience ranging from business, program development, marketing, and history. For more information about the internships at the Foundation, contact Bob Krafft at 260-927-9144 or visit www.dvkfoundation.org.
