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Every job I've held since entering and graduating from the Public History program has involved public history.

Curtis is completing a dissertation on professional basketball and its history of labor and race relations in the mid-20th century.

My favorite part of my AU Public History experience was… Seminar discussions and field trips.

The Public History Program at AU prepared me for my current job through… Academic research skills. Also adapting academic research for lay audiences who are interested, but not experts, in my subject matter.

With my MA from AU’s Public History program I am confident that… I can communicate information accurately but concisely while being able to provide more in-depth explanations when needed.

AU’s Public History Community has provided me with… Skills and connections that have made some of my basketball history easier, particularly the connections I made at the American History Museum via my mandatory internship there.

As a public historian and artist, I have always been interested in non-traditional and interdisciplinary approaches. My experience in the program helped me discover ways it might be possible to pursue those goals as I continue to build a career — and introduced me to the breadth of organizations bringing history to the public.

In my current job… I produce, support, and develop public and educational programming for a historic house and museum in Washington, DC. Provide exemplary interpretation of the site, coordinate school groups and group tours, and plan operations for our week-long summer residential anti-trafficking activism program. Produce, co-host, and edit the two-time award-winning Q&Abe podcast, which takes real visitor questions we've gotten onsite we wish we could spend a long time answering and delves into them.

I moved to DC with every intention of pursuing a museum job, becoming a "Hill Staffer" was never in my mind. However, once I began working within the Clerk's Office, I realized how many historian skills are utilized as a bill clerk. I actively organize primary documents for archive storage, I synthesize details during bill processing, and I utilize clear communication when interacting with member office staff. All of these skills were honed while earning my MA in Public History at American University.

Elizabeth processes introduced measures for the House of Representatives, communicates with Congressional Member offices regarding bills and floor proceedings, and archives annual legislation with the Library of Congress

My favorite part of my AU Public History experience was… Learning with a diverse and engaging cohort!

The Public History Program at AU prepared me for my current job through… Document management and archive techniques. The ability to analyze and process information under time constraints.

Exhibits Coordinators are the bridge that connect all aspects and team members of a project. We work to ensure that all details of the project — physical assets, detailed drawings, and client comments — are successfully incorporated into the physical and digital design.

My favorite part of my AU Public History experience was… Creating a network with my cohort and professionals in Washington, DC.

The Public History program at AU opened my eyes to several career paths that I was not aware of. Getting to make important connections in the program helped me decide the career path that I wanted to take.

The Public History Program at AU prepared me for my current job through… learning many different ways to convey a story to the public.

AU’s Public History Community has provided me with… a network and mentorship that I can keep going back to.

I’m involved in the professional world through…my exhibition work and working as the intern director for current MA students at Gallagher & Associates.

AU’s Public History Program has provided me with a wonderful community of fellow scholars and public historians who are all interested in talking about history in new and unique ways. They constantly keep me on my toes and encourage me to keep learning and growing, even post-graduation.

My favorite part of my AU Public History experience was… the cohort aspect of the program. I really liked that I got to build a network of other people in my field and trade ideas with them as we went through the program. It helped build trust and relationships. Today, I call on my friends from the program all the time. We assist each other in research requests especially if one of us has something not in our realm of expertise. We also all work at very different institutions, but it is great to know people throughout the DC area doing the same work.

With my MA from AU’s Public History program I am confident that… I learned valuable skills to make me successful in the field and developed incredibly important connections and networks.

AU’s Public History Community has provided me with… a wonderful community of fellow scholars and public historians who are all interested in talking about history in new and unique ways. They constantly keep me on my toes and encourage me to keep learning and growing, even post graduation.

I work to preserve, research, and share the history of the Smithsonian. I help manage and process oral history interviews in the Smithsonian Oral History Program, conduct research on the Institution, work on public projects, and offer reference for researchers.

The Public History Program at AU prepared me for my current job through… coursework that challenged me to be a better researcher, collaborator, and writer for a wide range of public and academic audiences.

AU’s Public History Community has provided me with… A cohort of peers and mentors who I constantly turn to for feedback, constructive criticism, advice, and encouragement.

I’m involved in the professional world through… Working with the DC History Conference Committee, the DC Oral History Collaborative, and the Oral History Association's local arrangements committee.