Lately I’ve been transcribing oral histories for the Center of Nursing History of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Listening to these stories has been incredibly interesting and enlightening. I finished editing and transcribing an oral history from 2016, and I am almost done with one from 2017 which includes two women who graduated from Misericordia in the 1950s.
While listening to these oral histories, I’ve started to feel like I was with with the interview participants hearing their stories. They provide such great detail and emotion, so you really start to feel a connection to their stories. I’ve also learned more about how the field of nursing has evolved since the 50s, so it’s really interesting to hear their perspectives.
Once I am done with the oral history from 2017, I will be starting on a project about the Sisters of Mercy at Misericordia; their lives, legacy, and the lasting impact they had on the university. I will be writing biographies for them by pulling information from sources that are currently in the archives. I am excited to start on this project to learn more about the Sisters of Mercy and their role in shaping the university to what it is today.