Northern Michigan University is currently accepting applications for a summer internship where students will spend the summer at Fort Wilkins portraying historic characters from 1869.

The internship, sponsored by the NMU history department and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), will focus on historical role-playing based on employees of Fort Wilkins from the late 1800s.

Fort Wilkins is located near Copper Harbor and served as a U.S. Army post in the 19th century.

The internship will take place from June 16 through Aug. 22. This is a great opportunity for NMU students to participate in a non-traditional learning experience and be part of a living classroom, said Howard Nicholson, assistant history professor.

“It gives students a chance to interact with the public using skills from the classroom,” Nicholson said.

Nicholson will teach the course with Tom Friggins, director of the Iron Industry Museum in Negaunee.

The internship will also serve as a great résumé builder.

“Students will develop public presentation skills, organizational skills, as well as better thinking skills,” he added.

Students who participate in the internship will be paid by the hour and will receive an additional stipend for housing, Nicholson said.

They can expect to work five days a week, with weekends being the busiest.

He added that participating students will train with a theater major from mid-March until the end of the semester to learn their respective character(s).

As well as financial reimbursement, students will receive two credits for the training portion of the program, and can apply for two more credits for the summer role-playing segment, Nicholson said.

The internship is open to all current NMU students, regardless of major or class standing.

Those interested can obtain an application from the history department, at 208 Cohodas. Call 227-2512 for more information.