After eight years as Director of Public History, I am stepping down to focus on my primary responsibilities as Head of Special Collections and Archives at Wright State University.
I became director of public history in 2007 and quickly learned that the best part of the job was getting to know all of the students. I have had the privilege of helping guide over 100 students to graduation. Those students have challenged me, laughed with me, drank hot chocolate with me, worked hard with me, kept me on my toes, and generally kept me young, in spite of the gray hair.
I have enjoyed working with all of the public history graduate adjunct faculty, and faculty and staff in the History Department and College of Liberal Arts. I’d like to thank all of our alumni, the staff of Special Collections and Archives, and most of all, the students, for all the support and encouragement you’ve given me these past eight years.
I will continue to teach classes and hope to get to know many more students in the years ahead. Public History at WSU will be in excellent hands with Dr. Drew Swanson. The future is bright and our students and graduates are proving that they can succeed, get great jobs, and share history in new and innovative ways.
For more information about the new Director of Public History at Wright State, Dr. Drew Swanson, check out the Fall 2015 Public History newsletter on CORE Scholar.