Current Students

About Me:  I chose to attend Virginia Tech due to the supportive environment, world-class faculty, and strong research focus, particularly in histories of science and technology and the twentieth century. Virginia Tech's historians consistently excel at meaningful research, and I'm ecstatic to be a part of this exciting and innovative department. 

I'm pursuing a master's degree to hone my skills in historical research and thought. I want to bring history to the next generations and help the people of tomorrow think about yesterday and its implications for today. Through historical research, I seek to make diverse histories accessible and relevant to a broad public. In my free time, I enjoy playing the drums and going to concerts.

About Me: I developed a close-knit friendship with the faculty during my time as an undergraduate at Virginia Tech. The support and encouragement I received from them to chase my interests is one of the main reasons I decided to return here for my master's degree. I hope to further my education and the education of others. I also hope to tell the story of Appalachia from the perspective of an outsider. Some of my favorite hobbies are fishing, watching movies, studying history, and spending time with my friends.

About Me: I was drawn to Virginia Tech by the small graduate class sizes and ability to maintain close working relationships with faculty. I found the breadth of both faculty and graduate student research exciting, especially when it comes to pursuing research interests that are thematically but not always geographically and temporally consistent. I was also drawn by the strength of the public history program and hope to merge my research interests with my passion for public history and history education. I’m also super excited to explore the outdoors while I’m here!

The main thing that prompted me to pursue a master’s in history was the opportunity to further my research experience. Research provides the opportunity to closely explore the nuances, possibilities, and humanity of the past, which I think builds an important foundation for history communication when it comes to what stories we tell, how we tell them, and who we tell them to. With my master’s, I hope to build a career that involves getting people from various backgrounds and areas of expertise involved in caring about the past and respecting our place along the continuum of human life. In my free time, I like to knit, crochet, bake, get outside, and read as much as possible.

About Me: I chose to attend Virginia Tech for my master's degree because I fell in love with this department during my time as an undergraduate. The professors have such a wide variety of specializations and the department has the feel of a close-knit community. When I decided to continue my education and continue to refine my skills as a historian, doing it here at Virginia Tech was a no-brainer.

After obtaining my master's degree, I'm interested in many possible avenues, including community outreach, archival work, or pursuing a Ph.D. In my free time, I love to read literary fiction and historical fiction, watch sports, and hang out with friends. I've spent my whole live in the New River Valley, so I love to get outdoors, too. Over the summer, I took a trip to Ireland and Scotland -- seeing history I've learned about for so long was such an incredible experience.

About Me: Virginia Tech's History Department is a really special place. After completing my undergraduate degree, I decided to continue my education here because of the incredible faculty and staff in the department. The department is very student focused which creates an environment where students not only learn, but thrive.

I decided to pursue a M.A. in history in order to become a better writer, researcher, and historian. In the future, I hope to either pursue a Ph.D. in history or work in the museum field. My ultimate goal is to inspire others to pursue education or work related to history. I'm local to the New River Valley and love it so much that I never left! When I have time to spare, I love baking, doing puzzles, reading historical fiction, walking, and spending time with my family and three adorable cats!

About Me: The history faculty at Virginia Tech have such a strong and diverse array of interests, expertise, and research experiences that inspire me and fit well with my own academic goals. I've lived near the Blue Ridge Mountains for a decade now, so to call them home while earning my master's degree is also a dream come true. 

I hope to refine my skills in research, education, and community engagement and bring that skillset to a career in public history. I believe historical insights should not be reserved for those who can afford a college education, so I would consider it a privilege to advocate for the importance of historicity and public service. In my free time, I enjoy going to DIY shows, birdwatching, and doing crossword puzzles.  I like to spend my mornings with my two cats and a cup of coffee, and my nights going for walks when everyone else is asleep or watching a B-Horror movie.

About Me: I chose Virginia Tech because I wanted a competitive program to explore my research interests. The wide range of historical study here is such a privilege to be a part of, and I am so excited to learn as much of it as I can. I'm also very attached to the Appalachia Mountains, so I'm excited to be in a place so close to my heart. 

Initially, I planned to continue my studies in archaeology, but after taking a class on historiography, I decided I'm much more interested in how history is perceived than I am in creating the narrative myself. I think it's very important to help others understand historical context to the fullest, and I want to introduce that history to others in a way that allows room for open interpretation and personal exploration. In the future, I hope to continue as an educator. In my free time, I enjoy reading, exercising, playing video games, and painting. I also really, really love cats and sports! 

About Me: I wanted to return to Virginia Tech to continue fostering scholarly connections and working alongside the network I built during my undergraduate studies. I deeply appreciate that Virginia Tech is an environment where I can explore both my interests in history and education, due to its excellent resources, faculty, and students. 

I'm driven to pursue graduate-level history so I can engage with coursework and research that will further my competencies as a teacher. I hope to use the knowledge and skills from this degree to integrate historical inquiry, research, and writing into my future secondary-school history classroom. In my free time, I enjoy going for walks and to the movie theater.