Why did you choose UNI? 

I chose UNI because my mother is an alumnus and I love this campus as well as Cedar Falls in general. UNI also has some great scholarships and academic opportunities. 

What have you enjoyed the most about attending UNI? 

Getting to know my professors and fellow students. 

How did you become interested in your major? 

I came to UNI as a History teaching major because I was interested in it as a kid and had some great high school history teachers. I discovered that while teaching grade school was not something I wanted to do as a career, I loved historical research and argumentation. 

What have been some of your favorite aspects of the major? 

Being a history major does not just have to be an in-class experience. As a history major, one of the first classes you have to take early in your career is a short internship. This experience helped me discover my love for the museum space and seek out further internships later in my college career. 

How have you been involved outside of the classroom? 

I am a SABR, a student ambassador for the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, which involves volunteering for different events and attending college fairs talking with prospective students about UNI. I am currently interning at the Waterloo Center for the Arts working with their collection. I was a representative for Majors in Minutes one year. I am also part of some academic honors societies including Phi Alpha Theta and Pi Gamma Mu. I am the current student president of Pi Gamma Mu helping to organize on-campus events. I have also given a couple of research talks one at the history department's Don Shepardson conference and another for Phi Alpha Theta’s lecture series on campus. 

What professors have been most influential through your time here at UNI? 

All the history department professors are passionate about their fields and the subjects they teach. Some that have been the most influential to me have been Dr. Jennifer McNabb and Dr. Emily Machen. 

What are your post-graduation plans?

I am currently accepted as a graduate student here at UNI and am going to be a graduate assistant at the UNI museum next year. After receiving my MA, I hope to get a job in the museum space. 

How has UNI/your major helped prepare you for these plans? 

UNI has helped me receive real-world experiences through internships and my classes that I can use to market myself better in the job market. 

What advice would you give to students who are considering this major? 

If you have a passion for how events in the past have impacted our current society and how they can be used to improve today, this is the major for you.