Degree: BA
When did you graduate? 1999
What were some of the most rewarding/influential classes in your major? It is hard to narrow down. Women’s History, American West andArkansas History were probably my most rewarding.
Where did you live? I lived in Baridon Hall
What groups did you belong to? I served as secretary for the Residence Hall Association my junior and senior years.
Did you participate in any experiences outside the classroom in your major field? I helped in the tally room for State History Day my junior and senior years and continued to help for a few years after graduation. I participated in Phi Alpha Theta and served as President my senior year.
What other experiences did you have that enriched your time as a student at UCA? I think some of the best experiences that I had at UCA was connecting with the people who lived in my residence hall. I started living there as a freshman and got to know a good group of people that remained my friends throughout my college experience. The times we spent together just hanging out were a growing experience for me.
What did you plan to do with your degree? At first I thought about teaching and then I decided that I would rather work in museums.
How are you using your degree? I am the education director at Historic Arkansas Museum. I use my degree every day when I take visitors on a tour of our houses or I talk to a school group about how people lived in the mid-1800s. My job allows me to share my love history with students and the general public. And it allows me do things like dress in period clothes to do presentations and to learn heritage skills.
What disciplinary skills do you use most often in your current job? I would say reading primary sources.
What are your plans? What will your degree allow you to do/accomplish as you move forward? My plans right now are to continue to develop programs and increase the scope of interpretation at Historic Arkansas Museum. My degree allows me to do because of the foundation it gives me in history and in engaging an audience.
What is the most surprising/unexpected thing you learned about yourself during your time as a BA student at UCA? I was painfully shy when I started college. While I was at UCA I slowly began to break out of that shell and have more confidence in my voice. I credit most of that to the wonderful professors that I had who saw that I could do more that I what I thought I could. When you have people just expect that you can do something you begin to believe that yourself.
What advice would you give someone who wants to get a BA in history? The best advice is to be ready to be a life-long learner. History at this level will challenge what you know or what you think you know and you need to be ready to meet that challenge. Get ready to dive into research. If you can learn a heritage skill. You will find a new appreciation for the people who came before us when you take on a skill like cooking on an open fire or spinning on a spinning wheel. Getting your hands on history is a great to learn history.