My name is Arden Trudeau. I am a third-year student at the University of Virginia, double-majoring in History and Economics with a minor in Leadership & Public Policy. This summer, I had the honor of representing UVA and the Nau Center at Manassas National Battlefield Park. I spent my days giving tours of the battlefield, helping visitors at the front desk, and learning from the park rangers, seasoned volunteers, and other interns. It was an incredible experience. While I expected to learn more about the Civil War this summer, I was surprised to learn so much about myself in the process. I am walking away from this internship with new knowledge and also new appreciation for the way that history can bring us together. 

A lot can change in a year. Last August, I toured Gettysburg with my Dad. We stopped along our road trip down from Massachusetts to Virginia for move-in weekend. Growing up in Massachusetts, there had always been a strong emphasis on the American Revolution. While at Gettysburg, I realized how little I knew about the Civil War. As soon as we got to UVA, I rearranged my schedule to enroll in Professor Elizabeth Varon’s course, The Coming of the Civil War. That spring, I followed that with Professor Caroline Janney’s Civil War and Reconstruction. The rest is history! Just one year later, I was no longer the curious visitor but the eager summer intern. It was rewarding to be on the other side of the battlefield this summer, in a position to include people into the narrative. 

Each intern had the opportunity to create their own tour focused on the First Battle of Manassas (also known as the First Battle of Bull Run). I loved leading tours and focusing on the ripple effects of that date, July 21, 1861. While thousands of men fought in Manassas that day, so many more would feel its impact. From the civilians in the area to the friends and families back home, this battle would have repercussions for everyone, including the people living today. First Manassas was a watershed moment, the opening act to a crucial chapter in our history. 

Tours were an opportunity to hook people! Through my tours, I created opportunities for park visitors to learn and reflect. I always loved when people stuck around after the tour had ended to ask “just one more question…” or to share stories, like their childhood trip to Gettysburg with their Boy Scout troop. Their life experiences sparked great conversations. My summer was full of genuine connections, both with visitors and the volunteers who staffed the front desk. I loved working at the desk—greeting visitors, answering their questions, hearing their stories—and I loved getting to know the volunteers on a personal level. Many of them were retired and in a very different stage of life than me, but our conversations were unforgettable. We discussed everything from Civil War medicine to the secrets to love and life! I have no doubt I will look back on this later and realize how much these conversations have shaped me. 

Not many college students can say they have spent their summer on a Civil War battlefield, but I am in the lucky few. I will never forget the summer I fired a cannon, and I will never lose sight of the way history can challenge us to think and inspire us to connect.