We are pleased to announce the inaugural year of the Edward F. Gerber Fellowship, a paid six month long fellowship experience open to graduate students and post-graduate students who have studied in academic fields related to historic Preservation. The Fellowship aims to prepare students or recent graduates for professional positions in the historic preservation, museum, or public history fields through practical training, but it will also include the completion of an original research project directed by Preservation CT staff. This Fellowship has been generously sponsored by our Trustee, Edward F. Gerber.
This year’s recipient, Anna Fossi is currently finishing up her Masters in Public History at Central Connecticut State University. She is interested in local and community history projects, with particular emphasis on LGBTQ, Indigenous, and popular culture histories. Her past projects include the 2019 “A Brief History of Connecticut’s LGBTQ Community,” a traveling exhibit created with the Connecticut Historical Society, and a number of exhibits at the New Milford Historical Society, where she works as the Research and Collections Manager.
Anna will be working with the people of East Bridgeport’s Washington Park neighborhood to bolster our preservation efforts for future projects with the historic churches and larger community. Anna will use her experience in research and oral history documentation to update the history of the East Side neighborhood beyond the National Register nomination Period of Significance, talk with the community about their experience in an underserved part of the city, and collect data and stories for future projects.