Armed with his experience as a Haverford history major and Bryn Mawr museum studies minor, Theo Schefer ’24 secured an internship this summer with the Collections and Exhibitions team at the South Street Seaport Museum in New York.
Although Schefer’s primary focus was on 20th-century Europe while at Haverford, he took courses with every faculty member in the history department and, as a result, immersed himself in a wider variety of geographic histories and time periods from Revolutionary France to land-reform movements in 20th century Latin America. For his thesis, Schefer combined his interest in museums with the history of 19th-century American science to write about the Wistar Museum, an anatomical teaching collection at the University of Pennsylvania, which, over the course of a century, became a public museum of anatomy and biology in addition to a research facility.
This summer, Schefer is adding to his museum journey by researching individual objects to enhance visitor experiences at the South Street Seaport Museum and help the public engage more deeply with New York’s maritime history. He is also currently exploring job opportunities and researching graduate schools, with a keen interest, not surprisingly, in curation and exhibition design. Additionally, he is preparing a paper he wrote during his final semester for publication in an undergraduate history journal at Columbia University.
Schefer’s interest in museum work began with a high school internship at the American Museum of Natural History. His passion was reignited during his freshman year at Haverford, particularly in a writing seminar with Robert and Constance MacCrate Professor of Social Responsibility and Professor of Religion Ken Koltun-Fromm, where he created a mini-exhibition of religious texts depicted in comics. Throughout his college years, he gained diverse museum experience, including volunteering at various New York institutions and working at Lutnick Library. His most notable achievement was curating a four-case multimedia exhibition on singer-songwriter and anti-war activist Phil Ochs at the Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Schefer recalls several impactful courses at Haverford, such as “Archive Theory and Practice” with The John R. Coleman Associate Professor of History Andrew Friedman, which offered him his first independent archival research experience. He also credits the 100- and 200-level photography courses for deepening his understanding of composition and light.
“The ability to learn analog photography and develop photographs in an actual darkroom cannot be taken for granted,” he says. “While working with film is not a prerequisite to being a photographer, the change of medium changed the way I understood composition and how light alters our perception of the world around us. Not only was I able to foster a deep appreciation for the history of the medium, but [I was able to understand] how I could participate in it as an artist with my own unique voice and eye.”
Schefer is grateful to the history department faculty for refining his writing and research skills, particularly Professors Linda Gerstein, Lisa Jane Graham, Darin Hayton, James Krippner, and Bethel Saler. He also appreciates the Audrey A. and John L. Dusseau Professor in the Humanities William Williams, whose knowledge about photography and life provided invaluable insights.
Schefer looks forward to exploring various opportunities and expanding his personal and professional worldview over the long term. Regarding his Haverford colleagues, he says, “The kindness, openness, and curiosity of everyone I’ve crossed paths with has been absolutely staggering. Of the small selection of people I was able to speak with about post-graduate plans, I have heard about historic preservation, theatrical stage design, language instruction, data science, and much, much more. Wherever we all start and end up, I hope to cross paths with everyone again down the line and hear about their unique journeys through life.”
“Where They’re Headed” is a blog series chronicling the post-collegiate plans of recent Haverford graduates.