The Friends of Washington Crossing Park would like to thank all of our wonderful interns who supported the park this summer! JJ Miller (Shippensburg University), Brandon Fey (Gettysburg College), John Paul Corsilli (Ocean County Community College) and Ryan Thiel (Rowan University) assisted in site research, public living history programs and served as 18th century interpreters for thousands of school children for our Colonial Days Friend Trip Programs. The energy and innovation of all of our interns were a great asset to the park this summer and we are honored for the opportunity to steward the next generation of public historians.
JJ Miller is a History Major and rising sophomore at Shippensburg University who has been interning at the park since 2018! This summer JJ served as an interpreter for thousands of students at our Colonial Days Field Trip Program and assisted with research on Glover’s Marblehead Regiment and 18th century life. JJ also assisted in visitor services and served as an interpreter for our daily tours. JJ’s energy is contagious and our team always looks forward to them returning each summer!
Brandon Fey is a recent graduate from Holy Ghost Prep who has interned with the park since 2021. He also earned Jr. Volunteer of the year in 2023. Brandon will be attending Gettysburg College this fall as an Eisenhower Scholar. In addition to serving as an interpreter for our Colonial Days Program Brandon also assisted in developing new living history programs and took the lead in developing a podcast that will educate listeners about the events of 1776 and the Ten Crucial Days Campaign, which the Crossing was a major part of. Brandon is an excellent researcher and is always thinking of new ways to expand our programs for new audiences.
John Paul Corsilli is a history major at Ocean County Community College. This summer John served as an interpreter for school and public programs, assisted in site living history and played a supporting role in the Washington Crossing Podcast. John also did research and writing on the Thompson Neely Farm and Sterling’s Brigade. John will be continuing his internship this Fall where he will assist with reproduction clothing development and serving as an interpreter at Bowman’s Hill Tower. John has been a reenactor for over a decade and his past experience has been a great asset this summer.
Ryan Thiel is a rising senior at Rowan University. In addition to serving as an interpreter for school and public living history programs, Ryan also worked on a research project that compared the viewpoints in how American memory has associated itself with the ideas and values of the American Revolution. Ryan’s can do attitude and energy made him a great asset to our team this summer. Our student visitors especially enjoyed learning from him.
