Bringing history to lifeHistory majors don’t often have the opportunity to lead a team of researchers while still in college. And most can’t walk into a major museum and point proudly to an exhibit they helped create.
Bobby Tuttle has done both.
Through a new student work initiative aimed at developing targeted partnerships with off-campus employers, the Berry senior played a major role in the development of an interactive exhibit of the TOW missile system for the National Infantry Museum in Columbus, Ga., without ever leaving campus.
Working “virtually” with colleagues at INERGI, a firm based in Huntsville, Ala., Tuttle and two other Berry students researched the development and deployment of the TOW missiles, including the industrial and employee teams that built the system over a 40-year period and key battles in which it was used. The students’ work formed the basis of the new exhibit’s centerpiece, a suite of four “digital scrapbooks” describing the missile system in great detail for visitors as they stand in front of a glass enclosure of each variant of the missile.
“As a history major, it’s difficult to find paid internships,” Bobby explained. “Berry provided an extraordinary level of experience for me during the school year – and for pay. It was extremely beneficial. I became a better researcher as a result of our work.”
After graduation, Bobby plans to pursue a Ph.D. in history and a career in military intelligence or international diplomacy. He is indebted to the Berry donors who helped set him on his way.
“I would like to extend a sincere thank you to all the donors who made my internship possible,” Tuttle said. “Berry's work program is a wonderful thing, and with the help of the donors, it has been able to branch out and grow to allow students like me to obtain real-world experiences through meaningful internships. It is my hope that donors will continue to give so that other students may be fortunate enough to have experiences like mine.”
Story by Alyssa Hollingsworth, student editorial assistant