BA in History

Brianna Nuñez, 2018

Brianna Nuñez

How did you decide on the History major? 

The day I decided I was going to major in history, I called my mother and apologized!  For her it was no surprise; in my family I was always the storyteller and I could name the six wives of Henry the Eighth by eighth grade.  The story of the past has always been a passion of mine that I have enjoyed the same way others enjoy TV shows, but I wasn’t willing to commit to studying it because so many dismissed liberal arts degrees.  After that first semester of history class, when I’d leave on a high of having debated the merits of life at French court in the 18th century, it was obvious where my heart lay.  To my phone call, my mother so eloquently responded “Duh!”.

Are you minoring or double majoring in anything else? If so, how do the two work together – or  separately?

I am a double major in History and Government/ International Politics and have found that they work excellently together.  Though they are two different subjects, there are parallels in the skills taught by both such as critical reading and informative writing.  Content-wise, the influence of government and politics on the lives of the people is a concentration in history and the knowledge of a state’s culture and history brings helpful insight into the political current affairs.  The two have an interesting, give-and-take dynamic, because practicing politics today, we are writing tomorrow’s history. 

What have you learned in a history class that really surprised you/changed your perspective?

The subject of my History 390 class was the Cold War, and the Cuban Missile Crisis was one of its tensest moments, but many don’t recognize exactly how precarious the situation was: the Soviets already had missiles planted capable of damage exponentially greater than those the U.S. had used against the Japanese during WWII.  The reason this really impacted me was because without the finesse and skills of diplomacy, history may have been drastically rewritten and the present may not be as we now know it.  Particularly in light of today’s current affairs, this moment in history constantly reminds me that it is the level-headed and educated that will see us through the darkest times. 

Tell us about your dream occupation…

In an abstract way, my dream occupation would be as a person who makes history something the general public can enjoy.  Lin-Manuel Miranda and Philippa Gregory have contributed amazingly to the field of history because they’ve taken dense stories that most people fell asleep on in high school and morphed them into musicals and movies that have drawn in all types.  History is full of drama and scandal and is an already written telenovela and I want the world to experience that as I have.   

Have you had any internships? Or interesting jobs or volunteer experience? Tell us about it/them.

In college I’ve had three internships: I worked as an exhibits intern at the National Museum of the Marine Corps (NMMC) from June 2015 thru August 2016 and interned with two different bureaus of the United States Department of State (DoS) during the 2017-2018 year.  Working at the museum was one of the first “ah-ha” moments I had regarding how I may apply my history degree and reach the public. 

Interning with the Department of State allowed me to combine my two passions and two degrees into a field where they could both be applied.  Different bureaus of the DoS focus on education and involvement in global affairs for the advancement of globalization and the position of the U.S. in the world.  While working with DoS I was able to meet several people who have made careers out of their passions and made connections in order to continue my travels and education after graduation. 

Any accomplishments you’re proud of? Opportunities you’ve taken advantage of? Brag a little!

My proudest accomplishments would absolutely have to be being able to intern full-time while still being a full-time student.  I can’t lie and say that it was easy, because it wasn’t even though I was getting academic credit.  Waking-up at 5am is an ungodly concept for most college students, then coming back to campus to take classes from 7-10pm… it was a lot, but I managed it all and succeeded in making the Dean’s List through it all!  I wouldn’t change any of it because these internships have helped teach me practical life skills not part of any class curriculum and have given me numerous advantages in life after school and in pursuit of my dreams.

Tell us something people would be surprised to know about you.

Except those close to me, I don’t think anyone would know that I attended three different colleges in my first three years of college.  After graduating high school I attended a private college in Virginia, but financial difficulties led me to leaving that school and attending NVCC my sophomore year.  I transferred to Mason for my junior year and will be graduating on time in Spring 2018.  Though my college experience has not been typical, most people’s aren’t these days, and it has just inspired and taught me that it is always possible to strive for and achieve one’s goals.