About Us

Meet the StoryQuest Students!

Abby Gordon
21 years old
Senior
Cranbury, New Jersey
Major: Anthropology
 
I am interested in the program because both of my grandfathers have fought in a war and one of them was enlisted in WWII. I have always been fascinated and want to know more about WWII from people who actually experienced it and not just reading about the war. The other reason why I wanted to be part of this program is because I wanted to know certain interview skills that can help me in the long run.

Hi! I'm Nick Coviello, Washington college student, and Anthropology/Drama double major.  I became interested in the StoryQuest program during the winter of 2015, and joined on full time for the Summer thereafter.  My experience in Drama and Anthropology have been valuable in the project thus far, aiding me in my ability to communicate and empathize with my interviewee's to the fullest degree.  During my time outside of the classroom and off the stage I spend a tremendous amount of time training in martial arts.  MY almost 10 years of training in boxing/ kickboxing/ and Jiu-Jitsu paired with my interest and general skill with firearms has pointed my interest in the firsthand accounts of combat from WWII veterans.  Although it is a difficult subject for many veterans to process, I believe it is important to get all the details to fully understand the brutality of war.

Hiya! My name is Sarah Graff and I am from Oxford, Pennsylvania. I am a second year student here at Washington College, and I am so happy to claim Chestertown as home away from home.
 

A little about myself…
        I am a History Major
        I want to be a Librarian
        Specifically working at the Library of Congress or the National Archives, or even the Fred W. Smith Library at Mount Vernon!
        My favorite color is purple
        My favorite phrase is “yepper doodle” (Just say it out loud, it’s fun!)
 

I was also on the StoryQuest Project starting with my first semester, where we put on a multimedia performance on Veterans Day, which was truly touching to all of those who attended. I am a proud member of Team Archives, where I found a series of letters to a Miss Doris Thistle Bell, a gym teacher, as well as a college secretary here at Washington College for many, many years. She kept correspondence with Washington College students who served in World War II, and “my boys” often say how much her letters meant to them while they were overseas, or even in basic training.  I affectionately call them “my boys” because at the time of these letters, they were my age, and I feel like I’ve truly gotten to know them through their letters. I hope that one day I can have Clayton’s excitement, Frank’s ability to have a funny conversation about anything, Francis’ “Zeke” focus, and Bob’s never ending hope.

You can learn a lot about the present and even the future from the past, so I am beyond honored to be part of a team to do exactly that!

Elijah S. McGuire-Berk

Hometown: Moorestown, NJ.

I got in to StoryQuest for a couple reasons.  One of these reasons is that I like stories.  I wanted to be able to learn people’s stories about one of the most turbulent eras in world history.  It’s a fascinating time, the Second World War, and it continues to impact modern day events/politics.  Even if the stories people tell aren’t about the amazing adventures they had, it still means a lot to hear about what they did during that time period.  The other main reason is because most other internships barred freshmen from joining and this one didn’t.

My name is Emma Buchman and I am going to be a junior at Washington College this fall. I’m an International Studies and French major with a minor in history. After graduation, I intend to move to London and attend law school. I would eventually like to become a barrister and defend victims of hate and sex crimes, as well as travel and represent those in other countries whose human rights are being taken away from them.


I’m participating in the StoryQuest Oral History Program because of my passion for history, and specifically for the study of WWII. It was such a complex time that demands so much attention, and I personally can never devote enough to it. Additionally, it is a way for me to make up for lost time. My grandfather served in Italy and flew carrier pigeons. I never had the opportunity to ask him about his experiences because he died before I was born. I’m doing all that I can in this program so that I can learn as much as I can about this time and compensate for the invaluable information that I cannot get from my grandfather.



My name is Joseph Swit and I am a 2nd year at Washington College majoring in Political Science. I have triplet brothers along with a dog and a cat and currently live in San Diego, California. 

I joined the Starr Center as a Student Associate in September 2014. I have a passion for history and writing which inspired me to get involved in the StoryQuest project. I plan to continue to work with the Starr Center throughout my time at Washington College. After graduation I hope to get a job working in politics or attend law school. 




Hi! I'm Rachel Brown. I'm a double-major in Hispanic Studies and Anthropology, with a minor in Creative Writing, and I've been working with the StoryQuest Oral History program since the fall of 2013. Although I didn't know very much about oral history when I started, it's quickly become one of the most important parts of my academic career. As I hope to pursue a career as an interpreter and translator, I value immensely the skills I learn through conducting an oral history project. More than that, though, I love the moments during an interview where the person you're talking with remembers something they thought they'd forgotten--what they were eating for dinner the night they heard about the attack on Pearl Harbor, the name of a friend who danced well to a particular song, what the sky looked like one sunset seventy years ago when nothing much happened at all. I'm truly excited to keep working on this project during this summer's workshop, and to continue discovering these moments.