Where are you currently getting your Ph.D.? 

Klein College of Media and Communication, Temple University

What brought you to grad school?

Prior to starting my doctorate, I spent about fifteen years working in the non-profit sector. First, I worked as a program director at a historic site (which relates to my current research), and then for several years in fundraising and communications for grassroots community organizations. Over time, I became increasingly disenchanted with the sector. Not the organizations I was working for, but larger structural issues that would have been present no matter where I was working in the field. At the same time, I was craving the space to step back and take a big picture approach to social change, but my day-to-day was bogged down by the nitty gritty. I had gone into the non-profit sector after my master’s program because at that time I wanted to be in the nitty gritty. The circuitous nature of my career aspirations is not lost on me. 

Why journalism history?

I love history. My dissertation is a dream come true, because I have an excuse to visit a ton of house museums. I often tour through the museums twice, once to gather data and critically examine interpretative choices and once for my own nerdy enjoyment. 

What’s your current research project?

Right now, I am mostly focused on my dissertation. I am examining how cultural notions of feminism from the Second Wave movement have impacted the interpretation at historic sites that place women (or one particular woman) at the center. I want to examine how current discourses of intersectionality have created a need for re-interpretation of historical events and figures and a re-examination of our collective memory of them. I have spent this fall meeting with founders, current directors and curators of historic sites that have a focus on women’s history. Much of the sources for their re-interpretations have been newspaper coverage of both the women and the sites themselves, thus journalism history is popping in through wonderful and surprising ways. 

What’s a fun fact about yourself?

I was born on Mischief Night, which I know is only meaningful to the specific area of the country that I live. But I always found it quite fitting.