Sarah Kraus ’24 lands internship with Redwood Library after studying abroad in Ireland

At Salve Regina, the pursuit of knowledge often leads students on extraordinary journeys that transcend the walls of the classroom. Sarah Kraus ’24, a European history major with a minor in cultural and historic preservation, has nurtured her passion for Irish history through her recent study abroad program in Cork, Ireland.

From the green hills of Ireland back to the cobblestone streets of Newport, Kraus has utilized her hands-on experience abroad to land internships with the Museum of Newport Irish History and the Redwood Library.

From Salve Regina to the Emerald Isle

Kraus is originally from Oceanside, Long Island. With an impressive history program and ideal location, Kraus knew Salve Regina was the school for her.

“One of the best decisions I made was coming here,” she said.

Kraus (right) with friends in Ireland.

During the fall of her junior year, Kraus had the opportunity to study abroad at University College Cork in Cork, Ireland. As an Irish American, that experience brought her closer to her roots.

While abroad, one of Kraus’ most cherished experiences was visiting her extended family, who still live on their original property in Ireland. She was able to see where her family has lived, all that her ancestors had left behind and where her grandmother was buried. During this visit, Kraus was able to reflect on growing up in the U.S. while also having her family thousands of miles away from her.

Once back at Salve Regina, Kraus became a global ambassador with the Center for Global Education and Fellowships. Global ambassadors are asked to stress three major areas of studying abroad — professional, personal and academic benefits.

“She is a shining example of all of the benefits in these three areas,” said Joe Meringolo, assistant director of the Center for Global Education and Fellowships. “Her experiences and her friendly, open attitude towards sharing this information resonate with the students who speak with her.”

Kraus presenting at a study abroad information session.

In this role, Kraus shares her experiences with students interested in studying abroad. Being able to share her journey in Ireland with others was transformative.

“It was one of the best parts about being a Global Ambassador,” Kraus said. She also credits Meringolo for serving as a mentor, providing advice and guiding her through her study abroad experience.

A life of historic learning

Through Kraus’ recent experience abroad, she gained new perspectives that connected her time in Ireland to her internship at the Museum of Newport Irish History.

“I feel as if my study abroad experience has prepared me for this opportunity by providing me with a solid background of Irish history that would be necessary for a position like this,” she said. “I find that I am now much more educated on this topic because of my hands-on experiences in Ireland.”

During the summer internship, Kraus had the opportunity to work with museum collections, putting them into a database or digitizing them to make it easier for public access. She enjoyed working with a historic society that is a huge part of the city she loves.

“Irish history is something that I’ve always taken an interest in,” Kraus said. “The Irish have made a profound impact on American culture over the centuries, and I believe that it is important to discuss these contributions within the context of Newport’s history given the city’s significance in American history.”

Kraus in Ireland.

Kraus is currently an intern at the Redwood Library – a subscription library, museum, rare book repository and research center in Newport. There, she works with different researchers who review census data and put together a narrative of different properties and the people who live there. Through this data, Kraus is able to construct stories of the lives she’s researching, creating history as she goes.

After graduation, Kraus plans to pursue a master’s degree in library science and hopes to work in field-based history. She was recently nominated for a fellowship with the Newport Historical Society, which would entail hands-on archival research, cataloging and data entry.

“As a history major, I have always been passionate about the study of the world that has come before us, which makes a career opportunity in the public history field so exciting to me,” she said.

Article written with reporting from Ridhika Patil ’27

Salve Spotlights is a series of people-centered stories periodically featured on SALVEtoday. Check out the tag Salve Spotlights for more stories.