MAJOR:
History
DEGREE:
Bachelor of Arts in European Studies from Rollins College; Juris Doctorate from Barry University School of Law; Master of Arts in History at Florida Atlantic University. I’m also currently pursuing
a Master of Science in Library and Information Studies degree through Florida State University.
CURRENT POSITION:
I am the archivist at the Delray Beach Historical Society in Delray Beach, Florida. The DBHS has entrusted me with preserving, protecting, and growing the archives of Delray
Beach. I enjoy going to work each day knowing I’ll be surrounded by the history of my home state. I also do freelance copyediting and translation work.
FIRST JOB:
My first job was at Häagen Dazs in Winter Park, Florida.
I started when I was fifteen and worked there for four years until I took an on-campus position at Rollins College. I had a great time working at Häagen Dazs and met a lot of interesting people from
all walks of life.
BIGGEST CHALLENGES:
My biggest challenge is limiting the scope of my research to the discipline at hand. I have an interdisciplinary background, and while much of my research combines one or more of my fields of study, I often struggle to restrict my research to one specific aspect of a topic.
BEST FAU MEMORY:
During my tenure at FAU, I entered the field of public history via three separate projects in the Special Collections department at the S.E. Wimberly Library. My first experience with ancient documents was an internship; I translated over forty 17th-18th century pamphlets in the Marvin & Sybil Weiner Collection from German to English. The following winter I was called back by Dr. Stephen Engle to translate personal letters from concentration
camp inmates to their families during World War II. With the help of Victoria Thur, I served as co-curator of the 2015 exhibit “World War II: Highlights from Special Collections,” the companion exhibit to the Larkin Symposium on the American Presidency.
ROLE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY PLAYED IN YOUR CAREER:
Dr. Sandra Norman introduced me to the field of Public History. I have her to thank for introducing me to the field of archiving and recommending me to the Delray Beach Historical Society for the archivist position. I also have Dr. Stephen Engle to thank for helping me improve my writing and research skills. He also gave me the opportunity to create the index for his most recent book. It was unlike any project I’ve undertaken in the past and was an enjoyable endeavor. I’d also like to thank Dr.
Patricia Kollander for her informative courses on German history, as well as her willingness to converse with me “auf Deutsch.”
GOAL:
My only remaining “bucket list” item is to publish a book. I’ve written many law review articles and research papers, but have n
ot endeavored to create a longer work. Writing a book and going through the publication process will be an exciting experience which I hope to begin in the near future.
FAVORITE BOOK:
I’ve enjoyed reading since I was very young; my mother and grandfather always impressed upon me the importance of the written word. I currently read mostly historical fiction and non-fiction. I find it hard to choose just one book, but the book I always return to for a good weekend read is The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.
PERSONAL:
My life has been full of exciting experiences. I’ve participated in study abroad programs in Germany, Russia, Spain, Austria, and the Czech Republic. These programs have given me perspective on the world we live in and how lifestyles and norms change from nation to nation. After I graduated from Rollins College in 2006, I accepted a Fulbright scholarship to teach English in Germany. I remained in Germany for two years before coming home to Florida to pursue a law degree. I was fortunate to make Europe a part of my personal life in 2012, when my now-husband of four years proposed to me in Amsterdam, Holland. We married one month later in Copenhagen, Denmark and enjoy travelling and backpacking together.
