2026 HBCUI Intern
BIOGRAPHY
Sariniti Wilson, a student at Fisk University with interests in criminal justice and education, serves as an Interpretation Intern at First Ladies National Historic Site through the HBCUI Internship Program. She brings a passion for youth advocacy, mentorship, education, and helping young people develop the skills and confidence needed to succeed.
Prior to her internship, Sariniti gained experience working directly with students through Project Transformation and Read2Lead, where she supported reading, academic development, and youth engagement. These experiences strengthened her ability to communicate with young learners, provide educational support, and build meaningful connections through mentorship and service.
During her internship at First Ladies National Historic Site, Sariniti works alongside National Park Service staff to research and interpret the history of the Saxton House, the family of Ida Saxton McKinley and President William McKinley, and the domestic and medical staff who worked in and cared for members of the household. Her work includes conducting historical research, developing an original interpretive program, leading guided tours, presenting programs to visitors, and helping bring the stories of the people connected to the historic home to life.
Through her HBCUI experience, Sariniti is gaining hands-on experience in historical research, public speaking, interpretive program development, visitor engagement, and educational communication. By combining her interests in education and advocacy with public history and interpretation, she is expanding her ability to connect with different audiences, share meaningful stories, and develop skills that will support her future academic, professional, and community-focused endeavors.
Education & Experience
Education
Fisk University
NPS SITE
First Ladies National Historic Site
POSITION
Interpretation Intern
Internship Overview
As an Interpretation Intern, Sariniti supports historical research, interpretive programming, and visitor engagement at First Ladies National Historic Site, helping connect visitors with the people and stories associated with the Saxton House and the lives of Ida Saxton McKinley and President William McKinley. Her work includes researching the domestic and medical staff who worked in and cared for members of the household, developing an original interpretive program, leading guided tours, and helping bring the history of the people connected to the historic home to life for visitors.
Working alongside National Park Service staff, Sariniti is gaining hands-on experience in historical research, public speaking, interpretive program development, guided tour facilitation, visitor engagement, and educational communication. Through her work, she is applying her background in education, youth advocacy, mentorship, and academic support to real-world public history while developing the communication, storytelling, and audience engagement skills that will support her future academic, professional, and community-focused endeavors.
Skills Developed & Accomplishments
Skills Developed
- Historical Research
- Historical Interpretation
- Public Speaking
- Guided Tour Facilitation
- Interpretive Program Development
- Visitor Engagement
- Educational Communication
- Audience-Centered Storytelling
Accomplishments
- Conducted historical research on the domestic and medical staff who worked in the Saxton House and cared for Ida Saxton McKinley and members of the household.
- Developed interpretive content that helps bring greater attention to the people whose work and experiences contributed to daily life within the historic home.
- Supported guided tours and public programs that connect visitors with the history of the Saxton House, the McKinley family, and those who worked within the household.
- Applied her experience in education, youth advocacy, mentorship, and academic support to create meaningful and accessible learning experiences for visitors.
- Strengthened her public speaking and audience engagement skills through direct interaction with visitors and hands-on experience in historical interpretation.
Testimonial
Coming soon.
