Considering a portion of my time in that role was during the peak of COVID, I was proud of creating safe opportunities for guests to engage with the site and its history. I created the behind-the-scenes Keeper's Tour for guests who wanted a more personal experience with the site and helped develop a new daily program template used for exploring concepts beyond the site's initial history. What I am most proud of is the impact I had on the overhaul of Split Rock's exhibit space and signage, which had not been updated in a considerable time. I provided text writing and image research for the signage on site and provided input on themes, content and more during the design process for the exhibit space itself. My biggest goals were to include opportunities for guests to engage with artifacts that had previously been kept in storage and ensure that the stories of all the people who called the North Shore home were given the space they deserved.
Currently, I am the Executive Director of the St. Louis County Historical Society (SLCHS). In this role, I aim to ensure that the County’s history is available for the community to engage with in a way that is respectful and thought-provoking. The goal in which I am most excited to engage is the updating of our Immigrant Waiting Room to bring in more contemporary experiences. I plan to invite speakers to explore the varied history of the county, updatie exhibits, and host traveling exhibitions, and overall ensure that SLCHS is a historical organization the County can regard with pride.
Prior to enrollment [at UMD], I had not given much thought to museums as a field in which I could work. I had initially enrolled as an education major but transferred to what was the College of Liberal Arts after my first year. Engaging with history in so many different contexts was everything I had been looking for: the subjects were varied and engaging, and they presented many challenges to work with.
I had my first experience with Public History through an internship with the Washington County Historical Society. Working at the Warden’s House and Hay Lake Schoolhouse fully opened my eyes to the opportunities that Public History provided. I could still be an educator, but in a way that allowed me to have more opportunities to explore content and engage audiences with unique exhibits, events, programming and more. I am grateful for the opportunity that Brent Peterson established for students looking to experience the Public History field. I am incredibly pleased with UMD’s development of the Museum Studies Certificate and Public History track. Had I been a student when they were in operation, I am certain I would have gratefully delved into those paths.
UMD's History Department faculty were instrumental in developing my writing and presentation skills to the degree required for the opportunities I wanted to pursue. Dr. Matthews, Dr. Rop, Dr. Laderman, Dr. Stanfield-Johnson, Dr. Mailer, and additional faculty all ensured that “good enough” was a minimum, and that to excel I would need to really put in the effort that their subjects deserved. The drive to excel that was honed at UMD ensures that my business proposals, exhibit text and more all have the highest degree of professionalism. To say that I am grateful for my time at UMD and the History program would be an understatement.