Early in February, I was invited to lead a workshop, Uncharted Territory: Professional Waypoints for Public Historians, for the Public History graduate students at Loyola University.

This workshop gave public history students actionable tools for locating themselves in new professional contexts, identifying what directions to explore, launching a search with confidence, and finding the knowledge and support they need along the way.

There were eight students total, a perfect size for this workshop. It was a great pleasure to work with such an interesting and talented group. I was genuinely impressed to learn the range and depth of experience the students had acquired in just their second year of the program.

In other words, there was a lot to sink our teeth into for assessment and discovery!

In the first hour, we worked together to develop a clearer sense of what each student wants, what they bring, and where different kinds of relevant work are done. In the second hour, we brought their assets and interests into connection with what is out there.

Hannah Fuller, the History department’s student coordinator for professional development, said, “You made it easier to work through some of the most pressing challenges humanities professionals face today AND gave us real tools to navigate through them.”

Now these are public history students, and most are already aiming for work outside of academia. But they too face serious challenges as the important work they have trained for within museums, archives, national parks and other institutions dwindles due to cuts.

Several students spoke toward the end to explain that they had never before had the opportunity to become familiar with the kinds of roles that align with their skills, needs and values.

Contact us to discuss teaming up to support Humanities grad students at your institution.