Why did you choose History as a major?
It was the subject that I was most interested in during high school. I came into Mason as a Biology major but decided to lean into my natural talents instead of struggling uphill for four years. I really love the many unique voices and interesting stories that come with studying history. I also loved learning how to better tell those stories.
What was your career path after graduation?
Immediately following graduation, I pursued a Fulbright English Teaching Grant in Dobrich, Bulgaria. Upon returning, I took a job for a government contractor managing a historical digitization project at the Army Heritage and Education Center. Now I'm pursuing an M.S. in Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois, which is the top library science program in the country.
How do you think your History major at Mason prepared you for your career?
I really appreciated the opportunity to pursue a lot of great internships, including at the National Archives and the Open Society Archives in Budapest, and I received a significant amount of class credit for one of them. My internship at the Fairfax County Historic Courthouse led directly to me getting the job I have now. Beyond that, my research skills continue to be incredibly useful in both my professional and personal life.
Any advice you’d like to give current Mason students?
Try things out. You'll never be sure about a potential career path until you give it a shot. Intern, volunteer, get a part-time job, go to events. Even if a particular path doesn't work out for you, you never know what opportunities will emerge from your experiences.