{"id":2514,"date":"2021-04-21T12:48:43","date_gmt":"2021-04-21T16:48:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/history\/?p=2514"},"modified":"2025-05-26T11:16:26","modified_gmt":"2025-05-26T15:16:26","slug":"marley-abbott-on-what-you-can-do-with-a-history-degree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/history\/2021\/04\/21\/marley-abbott-on-what-you-can-do-with-a-history-degree\/","title":{"rendered":"Marley Abbott on What You Can Do with a History Degree"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

2017 graduate Marley Abbott on all you can do with a history degree and where history can take you.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n
\n

My name is Marley Abbott<\/a>, and I am a proud 2017 graduate of the UTC History Department<\/a>!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Box<\/a>
Box of WWII letters being processed while working as a Graduate Research Assistant for the Albert Gore Research Center.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When I was first admitted to UTC, I was not entirely sure what I wanted to pursue; I may have even entered as an undecided major. I grew up in a military family, which meant that we moved frequently throughout my childhood, and along with that came travel opportunities that I otherwise would not have experienced. Through these experiences, I was able to see and experience different things and cultures that I had only previously read about in a history book. Getting to visit different cities and museums made me realize that actually seeing history up-close and personal was what I always wanted to do. By the time I started my undergraduate career, I knew that working in a museum in some capacity was a goal of mine.<\/span><\/p>\n

I ended up selecting a Humanities: International Studies major, since the different types of disciplines involved all suited my interests in one way or another. While I enjoyed that major, it was when I started taking more history classes that I realized I wanted to become a History major<\/a>. After finishing most of my general education<\/a> classes and enrolling in more specialized ones, I officially made the jump to switching my major, with Dr. Kuby<\/a> acting as my advisor. Being in the history department really opened up my interests and helped me figure out that history was what I loved and wanted to pursue. As I progressed<\/a> through my upper-level courses<\/a>, I ended up completing a 50-hour internship<\/a> under Dr. Thompson<\/a>\u2019s guidance, which became one of the most important parts of my undergraduate career. I completed my internship with the People\u2019s History Project<\/a>, in conjunction with Chattanooga Organized for Action (COA). While with COA, I spent my time researching historic newspapers from Chattanooga\u2019s past, all on microfilm in the UTC and downtown libraries<\/a>. In addition to cementing my love for research, this internship was one of the best things I chose to do while at UTC. It gave me some of the professional research experience needed to succeed as a professional and as a future graduate student, which has been a very nice thing to include on my resume in a variety of professional fields.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The entrance sign to Booker T. Washington State Park in Chattanooga, TN. Taken during my current role working as a Research Coordinator for TNSP.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After graduating from UTC, I was still not entirely sure which route I wanted to pursue. One question that was frequently asked of me was, \u201cWill you be able to get a job<\/a> with your degree?\u201d While that is an understandable concern for both parents and students, I did not want to sacrifice doing what I loved, and I am glad I stuck to my guns. I knew that working in a museum was something I\u2019d like to do, so I researched the field and spoke to people working in museums across the world. I found that most folks in that field had completed a graduate degree (at least in my area). I ended up joining the Public History program at MTSU in 2018, and I graduated with my Master of Arts in December of 2020. Public History is something that suited my wishes to work outside of the classroom, and I give all the credit to the UTC History Department for adequately preparing me for the rigors of graduate coursework and doing research on a higher level. Since I started in MTSU\u2019s program, I\u2019ve completed a 300-hour internship with Nashville Sites, worked in the on-campus archive, worked for the Tennessee State Museum, and I\u2019m now in my first official full-time job working as a Research Coordinator for Tennessee State Parks.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Some<\/a>
Some of the weird stuff you do in archives- steaming a flag for a suffrage exhibit!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There are so many different routes<\/a> you can take with a history degree, from working in the classroom to working with museums, archives, parks, government offices, and more. History taught me<\/a> how to analyze sources and communicate effectively, something that is valuable no matter what profession you end up choosing. The research and communication skills I developed while at UTC have served me well in each position I\u2019ve had since. I firmly believe that studying history and understanding our past is one of the best things a person can do. By understanding our past, we can understand our present, making us citizens of the entire world rather than just a part of it.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Students may reach out to Marley Abbott at<\/span> Marley.Abbott@tn.gov<\/a> and her supervisor, Ranger Hobart Akin, at<\/span> Hobart.Akin@tn.gov<\/a> for more information on working with Tennessee State Parks.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"View<\/a>
View from the info desk at the Tennessee State Capitol, taken while working as a Museum Educator for the Tennessee State Museum.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"A<\/a>
A shot of Printer\u2019s Alley in Nashville, TN. Taken while walking a tour route while working as the Director of Marketing and Information for Nashville Sites.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

2017 graduate Marley Abbott on all you can do with a history degree and where history can take you.<\/p>\n

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