Describe your work and activities at your current position.
As the President and CEO of the Gettysburg Foundation, I lead a diverse team of specialists to support the National Park Service as its nonprofit partner. I have the responsibility of serving in leadership for the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center in partnership with Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site. The Foundation also owns and operates Children of Gettysburg 1863 in the Rupp House, the George Spangler Farm & Field Hospital and the Gettysburg Lincoln Railroad Station, preserving and interpreting these sites for visitors annually. I am honored to serve the organization supporting this hallowed ground.
What skills and intellectual experiences did you acquire in the history program at ODU that have served you well in your subsequent career ?
My education at ODU supported my goals to become a leader in the field by not only teaching me to think critically, but by offering real-world opportunities to practice my skills. Without my initial internship at the Hunter House Victorian Museum in 2009, I would never be where I am today. This program opened doors for me that have led to my success in the field.
Based on your experience since graduating: Is history only about the past or how does it relate to today and the future ?
Our treasured historical sites provide an entry point for the public to understand the human experience and ingenuity that makes history worth remembering. History is about the past, but it lives and breathes and informs our futures in ways we may not even fully comprehend. I am honored to be a small part of the puzzle at the Gettysburg Foundation.
Which professors do you remember and why from the Department of History at Old Dominion University ?
During my tenure as both an undergraduate and graduate student, I spent many hours in the department with wonderful professors. I mostly studied the nineteenth century and women’s history, as well as medieval history. As a result, Kathy Pearson, Maura Hametz, and Erin Jordan were my primary professors. I am proud to have worked under and learned from such intelligent women.
I also would be remiss without mentioning my first job as a teaching assistant under the incredible Carolyn Lawes, and my first eye-opening course with Robert Del Corso, which proved I was in the right place.
I am incredibly thankful for the world-class faculty at ODU, and their ability to bring to life the history which surrounds us.
What new areas of historical inquiry have you explored since leaving ODU ?
I never thought I would be working for a military park, given my interest in women’s studies, but have found the switch so rewarding. My love of reading and the critical thinking skills developed at ODU have served me well each time I have taken on a new endeavor. Several avenues of inquiry I have explored due to work and personal interest include: nineteenth century material culture, architecture and design, historic landscapes, cemeteries and graveyards, national parks, military history, and death rituals.
What is the one thing you would like to tell our current students ?
Take advantage of every opportunity you are offered, and keep in touch with professors and fellow students. I have had a richer and more successful experience in the field because I have left avenues of communication open, and often reach out when I know a former colleague or professor could be helpful in my work. Likewise, be a good friend to them and return the favor.
What would be your advice to the department for the future ?
Continue to delve into practical applications of history in the workforce. Nonprofit administration with a focus on museums, historic sites, and galleries would be great courses to prepare students to enter the field just a few steps ahead of their colleagues.