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Melyssa Laureano
DC Preservation League
More about Melyssa
As the DC Preservation Leagues' Programs Associate, I administer the bulk of the organization's educational programming and serve as staff lead for DCPL’s Education Committee and collaborates with committee volunteers to organize educational activities about historic preservation in DC. These programs include tours of historic sites, workshops, and lectures. I also manages DCPL’s social media presence across a variety of platforms.
My favorite part of my AU Public History experience was… Being able to learn and grow professionally as a public historian with colleagues in my cohort. We learned from our professors, but also one another. This was especially true during our practicum, where we worked in groups to create community projects and exhibits using the Humanities Truck.
Mia Owens
MA Candidate, Public History
More about Mia
MA in Public History candidate Mia Owens is the inaugural fellow for a two-year Public History Graduate Fellowship in the History of Slavery and Its Legacies in Washington, DC.
During the first year of the fellowship, Mia is working at the White House Historical Association (WHHA) to conduct research for its Slavery in the President's Neighborhood initiative. During the second year, she will be working with AU's Antiracist Research and Policy Center (ARPC) on The Influence of Slavery at American University.
Mia says she is gaining valuable experience in conducting research and creating content to engage and inform the public.
I am grateful for the mentorship and support of the historians and my fellow History Fellows at WHHA. Their guidance has been invaluable in helping me learn and grow as a public historian. At AU, I am happy to be a part of a wonderful and supportive Public History Program. I am thankful for our director, Dr. Malgorzata Rymsza-Pawlowska, for her dedication to helping me and other students secure public history opportunities throughout Washington, DC. I am also grateful for the wisdom and guidance of AU's history department. Through my time at AU, I have had the opportunity to develop a variety of skills that will help me in the field of public history.
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