MA in History

Mackenzie Hool, 2025

Why did you decide to pursue an M.A. in History?

I've known I wanted a career in history for a very long time, probably since middle school, and that passion eventually grew into a deep love for museums and museum work. There is something so special to me about holding an object that once played an important role in someone's life, or that was simply an everyday item used decades, if not centuries, ago. The only thing separating you from its owner is time.

What was your most rewarding class? Why?

My most rewarding class was the first one I took in the MA program: Civil War and Reconstruction, taught by Dr. Hamner. It was a learning curve, but looking back, I was so lucky to have it as my introduction to graduate study. Dr. Hamner's focus on historiography was a completely new concept to me, and I discovered there's a real art to writing a history book review, a skill that ended up preparing me for the entire program. More than anything, that class showed me what I was capable of as a historian and what the profession is truly about. A graduate-level history course is so vastly different from anything I experienced as an undergraduate.

How has the M.A. program helped you with your career or personal interests?

My 797 [research seminar] paper alone has opened more doors than I ever anticipated. After completing the class, I was contacted by the Cold War Museum in Warrenton, VA to help redesign their exhibit on Vint Hill, the museum's home and the birthplace of the NSA, which was the sole focus of my research. I am now a curator there. I also published my research, One of Our Own: Vint Hill Farms Station and Warrenton, Virginia, During World War II, as an article in the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, and I couldn't be more proud of what I've accomplished in this program.

Any advice for students in the program?

Tackle the hard work. Pick the path less traveled; it will be the most rewarding one. There were many moments when I second-guessed the topics I'd chosen for papers or final projects, topics that seemed unconventional or frankly overwhelming. But what you learn when you push yourself past that discomfort? There's no other feeling like it.
Along the same lines: go outside your comfort zone! I consider myself a 20th-century military historian, but I took classes like Historical Editing with Dr. Faith and came away with skills I never would have gained otherwise, including how to digitize and transcribe historical documents in ways that have genuinely carried over into my museum work.

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

The first degree I ever earned was in science. I am, technically, a woman in STEM. If I didn’t pursue history, I would have probably studied physics!