Graduate Certificate in Digital Public Humanities

Ashley Palazzo, 2022

What work are you doing now?

I am currently the University Archivist/Head of Archives & Special Collections at Radford University. I work to make the extensive university archives and other special collections more accessible and train students from different disciplines about the importance of archives and digital preservation. Prior to this position I was the Archivist at Christiansburg Institute, Inc.

Why did you choose to pursue the certificate in Digital Public Humanities?

Even though the discipline of history is looking into the past, I strongly believe in adapting to the ever-changing world of technology. My goal is to make history more accessible and inclusive to all, which is what drew me to the DPH program. I also wanted to combine my background of teaching with my passion to make history more accessible in the classroom.

What knowledge or skills from the program have been particularly valuable to you?

Before starting the DPH program, I had little understanding of metadata and honestly the number of tools and software there is out there to apply to history projects. This program does an excellent job of exposing students to different digital humanities tools and the many ways to utilize these tools. My first job post-graduation was solely focused on creating a digital archive and metadata creation/standards. After this program, I felt confident to take on complex digital history projects and even lead my team into the future with digital humanities. Without the DPH certificate program, I never would have had the opportunities that have opened so many doors for my career. The DPH program fully prepares you to go out into the field as an expert and with extensive connections to a supportive network.