{"id":1545,"date":"2019-12-30T14:47:20","date_gmt":"2019-12-30T19:47:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/history\/?p=1545"},"modified":"2025-05-26T11:09:57","modified_gmt":"2025-05-26T15:09:57","slug":"why-i-choose-history-marley-abbott","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/history\/2019\/12\/30\/why-i-choose-history-marley-abbott\/","title":{"rendered":"Why I Choose History: Marley Abbott"},"content":{"rendered":"

***<\/span><\/p>\n

2017 graduate Marley Abbott on why she chose history, the value of a UTC history degree, and the courses and professors that prepared her for graduate school and beyond.<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
From the “Remembering WWII” weekend in Linden, TN<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When I first started at UTC, I was not 100% sure what I wanted to pursue. I had entered college with a different major and while I enjoyed my time, I decided to become a history major<\/a> after taking several courses<\/a> with Dr. Kuby<\/a>. Given that I had spent most of my childhood moving around to new places as part of a military family, I had always been surrounded by history, both at home and abroad. Joining the history department felt like the best fit for my interests<\/a> and career goals<\/a>, and I could not have made a better decision in my undergraduate career!<\/p>\n

The different professors<\/a> I had during my time at UTC were instrumental in helping me shape myself into the best student I could be. I was able to take a variety<\/a> of courses<\/a> that suited my historical interests, from the American Gilded Age with Dr. Kuby<\/a> to Early-Modern Britain with Dr. White<\/a>. Dr. Thompson<\/a> assisted me in finding an internship<\/a> to complete several credit hours as well as provide me with a bit of professional experience, which ended up making all the difference as I entered into my graduate program. Similarly, taking a study-abroad course<\/a> with Dr. Swanson<\/a> allowed me to complete the class project in a new environment while introducing me to filmmaking<\/a> and an area of history I had never studied before. The research paper that I wrote in Dr. Robison\u2019s<\/a> senior seminar course ended up being a component of my graduate school application for Middle Tennessee State University, where I am now pursuing my Master of Arts in Public History<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In addition to making progress in the program, I was awarded an assistantship and I am working as a research assistant at the Gore Center<\/a> in exchange for a tuition waiver. The internship<\/a> I completed while at UTC prepared me for my required internship in my MA program, which I\u2019m completing at Nashville\u2019s Metro Historical Commission<\/a>, and helped develop my research skills. I\u2019m also working at the TN State Museum in Nashville<\/a> as a part-time Educator and Program Assistant.<\/p>\n

Although it has been over two years since I graduated from UTC, the experiences I had there and the professors who helped me along the way continue to be a vital source of support while I grow as a professional. I encourage anyone to reach out, see what the department has to offer, and join a great group of professors and students!<\/p>\n

\n

Highlights from Marley’s work:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The first exhibit I completed in spring 2019, “A Great and Noble Undertaking: Remembering Tennesseans in WWII,” for which I created the title, preliminary text, and curated most of the objects\/photos.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Artifacts from the Gore Center at MTSU such as include ration stamps, medals, wartime sheet music, are featured in an exhibit detailing Tennessee’s ties to D-Day. (Photo: Andy Heidt, Middle Tennessee State University)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Read more: “MTSU unveils new exhibit on Tennessee’s ties to D-Day,”\u00a0Daily News Journal<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/span><\/p>\n

An event that the Gore Center hosted in September 2019. I had read a draft of Dr. Badger’s book [Albert Gore, Sr.: A Political Life<\/em><\/a>, by Anthony J. Badger<\/a>] last year and did a lot of preliminary\u00a0research for the overall exhibit which was curated by my supervisor, Sarah Calise<\/a>. I was responsible for curating this small case on the Vietnam War.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Read more: “Former Vice President Al Gore speaks at MTSU about his father’s political life,” Daily News Journal<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

2017 graduate Marley Abbott on why she chose history, the value of a UTC history degree, and the courses and professors that prepared her for graduate school and beyond.<\/p>\n

Continue Reading <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":800,"featured_media":1546,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[35588,35701,35700],"class_list":{"0":"post-1545","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-student-news","8":"tag-student-news","9":"tag-what-history-teaches-you","10":"tag-what-you-can-do-with-a-history-degree","11":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\nWhy I Choose History: Marley Abbott - History Archive: Jul 2007 - Oct 2025<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/history\/2019\/12\/30\/why-i-choose-history-marley-abbott\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why I Choose History: Marley Abbott - History Archive: Jul 2007 - Oct 2025\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"2017 graduate Marley Abbott on why she chose history, the value of a UTC history degree, and the courses and professors that prepared her for graduate school and beyond. 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