UA Little Rock Student Gains Hands-On Experience, Confidence During Old State House Museum Internship
Noah Davidson, a senior history and political science major at UA Little Rock, spent his summer immersed in Arkansas history while completing a rewarding internship at the Old State House Museum in downtown Little Rock.
A native of Beebe, Arkansas, Davidson interned from late May through the end of July, serving as a history intern with a strong focus on public education and museum operations. The Old State House Museum is the oldest standing state capitol building west of the Mississippi River and chronicles Arkansas history since it became a state in 1836. The experience solidified his career aspirations and gave him valuable skills he’ll carry into law school.
“I had a passion for history growing up, so I really liked working with students and seeing them get excited about history,” Davidson said. “It helped me become more passionate about education and gave me insight into how I might incorporate that into my future career.”
His daily responsibilities included greeting guests at the front desk, giving tours of the museum, helping with educational programming, and assisting with events like Second Friday Art Night. One of his favorite aspects was getting to handle artifacts from the early 1800s.
“Working with historical artifacts from the 19th century gave me a sense of purpose and reminded me why preserving history matters,” he said. “The museum staff was very informative and passionate about their work, which made the experience even better.”
Davidson also enjoyed seeing kids engage with history through hands-on events like Native American games and pottery demonstrations and Civil War living history presentations.
Davidson said the internship gave him a clearer understanding of how job experiences shape career choices.
“You don’t really understand what a job is like until you actually work it,” he said. “This experience gave me confidence in my career path and helped me realize the value of internships in building that foundation.”
Davidson plans to graduate in May 2026 and apply to the UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. On campus, he’s a leader in several organizations. He serves as president of the Delta Chi Fraternity, vice president of public relations and communications for the Interfraternity Council, a senator in the Student Government Association, and a student worker in the Student Experience Center.