Brianna Fisher is building a future around preserving the past.

“I’m passionate about archival work because I believe in the importance of preserving stories for future generations,” she said. “So much history gets lost as people grow and change, and I want to make sure it’s taken care of and appreciated by the right people.”

Fisher graduated in December with a Bachelor of Science in Library Science and Information Sciences, earning minors in history and political science. Now a graduate student in PennWest’s Master of Library and Information Science program, she continues to seek meaningful, hands‑on work that strengthens her skills.

Her path started close to home. After her first year at PennWest Clarion, the New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, native volunteered at her local historical society.

“Up until that point, I thought I would go into public libraries,” she said. “I knew archival work was part of the field, but I didn’t know what it looked like day to day.”

The experience quickly reshaped her plans. What she anticipated would be simple sorting and administrative tasks turned into an introduction to responsible stewardship – processing donations, cataloging materials and learning proper preservation methods.

“The volunteers care so much about preserving their community’s history,” she said. “They treat people’s personal belongings and stories with real respect.”

That early experience set the tone for the rest of her undergraduate years. Fisher pursued both traditional paid internships and the volunteer roles common in nonprofit archival settings. She volunteered with the Lawrence County Historical Society, the Clarion Historical Society, and the National McKinley Birthplace Memorial Museum in Niles, Ohio. Through a graduate course, she also worked with PennWest Clarion’s Carlson Library on collection development alongside university archivist Corene Glotfelty.

Her paid internships included positions with the New Castle Public Library and the Lincoln Archives in Washington, D.C., through the Washington Center Academic Internship Program. She is currently an intern with the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Archive.

“I’m one of five interns in the Legislative Fellowship Program, but the only one placed in the archive,” she said. “I’m working with the digital archivist to digitize personal documents and records from past representatives so they can be accessed online.”

The role gives her the scale and depth she hoped for.

“I wanted to expand my digitization skills and work with a wider range of materials,” she said. “I’m learning how to handle different physical items and use database systems to create metadata that supports public access.”

Along the way, she has built connections with professionals at the State Library, the State Museum, and across the legislature.

“The internships have let me apply what I’ve learned to real collections,” she said. “Every place has been a little different, and that’s helped me build skills I can carry wherever I go.”

Outside of her internships, Fisher stayed active on campus. She served as student director of the Clarion Honors Program, vice president of Sigma Tau Delta, was a member of Phi Sigma Alpha and History Club, and has led Clarion’s chapter of the American Library Association for the past two years. She will complete her master’s program in December 2026.

“After graduation – honestly, even before – I hope to work in the archival field, preserving local histories for future generations.”