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Learning Lab: What Students Say About the Learning Lab

Learn more about the Learning Lab at the UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center. This guide is specifically for students who are interested in applying to become a Learning Lab intern.

Student Experiences

In the Learning Lab we form a strong, academic community that supports each other while we dig within ourselves to learn and grow.  This unique experience impacts each student differently, but the consistent threads throughout student reactions are almost always community and confidence. The process of analyzing an archival collection, conducting research, connecting with scholars, and conveying their research through conference presentations significantly impacts student confidence. Read below to see what students have to say about their experiences as a Learning Lab intern.

–“Successfully identifying my manuscript fragment was one of the most exciting moments of my undergraduate career, and it is one I will never forget. This internship gave me the opportunity to engage in a caliber of research that most undergraduates in my field could only dream about.”  -Alyssa Mertka, 2018
 
–“Challenged how I think, asking me to reconsider my basic assumptions about the world and gain the type of perspective that comes from soul-stretching and growing.”                     -Katerina Banks, 2019
 
–“I think the most exciting part of my internship was learning about Harriet Drury Van Meter and seeing how great of an impact one woman’s life can have. She truly has inspired me to live bolder and to try and make a greater impact in everything I do.”                                          ---Shelby Simpkins, 2019
 
–“I feel as if I am on the path to success because of the skills and perceptions that I instill in my everyday activities thanks to the Learning Lab.”    -Taylor Sturgill, 2018