SEMO Historian

Hi, my name is Richie Bohn, and I’m finishing my MA in History at Southeast. I am from Scott City, Missouri, and graduated high school from Notre Dame (in Cape Girardeau). I got my Bachelor of Science in Secondary Social Studies Education in 2015. I was interested in history, wanted to find a stable job that involved the subject, wanted to coach cross country, and was inspired by seeing how much my uncle enjoyed teaching high school. So, I now teach high school history at Notre Dame as I finish my MA.

I chose Southeast because it was close to home, I was familiar with campus, and I had relatives who had attended there, including my dad who got his M.A. in history there. I like the campus (even though there are lots of hills) and getting to have classes in person. It feels like home but I also feel connected to the outside world at the same time and getting to meet people from outside the area.

I have loved learning about history from an early age, partly due to my dad’s love of the subject, growing up watching historical movies and documentaries with him. He’s always reading a history book and that also inspires me to learn more. I specifically wanted my M.A. in History to expand my knowledge, get the chance to be a student again, be able to earn more money as a high school teacher, have the ability to teach dual credit classes, and give myself the option of teaching at the college level someday if I want to.

I loved my first year in the program as I got to take classes in person and learn new things about historic preservation as well as research, and I enjoyed the opportunity to meet other grad students and spend time with them outside of class as well when we got together to eat downtown a few times.

I’m looking forward to finishing my master’s degree, celebrating my wife and my first anniversary, and pursuing a chance to teach dual credit classes at my school.

I am from a small town called Oologah in Oklahoma. Oologah is Cherokee for “Dark Cloud” and I graduated high school from Oologah-Talala Highschool in 2015. From there I moved to Rolla, Missouri to start my undergraduate career at the Missouri University of Science and Technology.

I planned to pursue a degree in aerospace engineering, but found out I was not as good at math as I thought I was and transferred to the history department.

I graduated in 2020 with a Bachelors of Science in History with a minor in Political Science. Graduating at the height of the pandemic meant a lot of places I applied to work withdrew their openings as the nation shut down. A professor at S&T told me about SEMO’s graduate program deadline extension and I signed up to see if it would help me decide what to do with my life and degree. I am very glad I did.

Since starting my graduate studies at SEMO a year ago I have found a part time job as a student worker in the Crisp Museum getting hands-on experience, I have been undertaking genealogical research for a patron, explored many abandoned buildings, and created my own archival collection.

My major here at SEMO is a Masters in Public History with a focus in Historic Preservation. I always enjoyed history, and I prefer jobs where I can be hands-on with things which means being able to work in museums or on historic buildings is the perfect fit for me as it fulfills many of the needs I have. There is nothing better than poking around in the back of a museum and finding all the hidden gems that are not on display.

            My first year of the program was a hard one, probably one of the hardest years of my life so far. Not only did I move and leave all my friends, support nets, favorite study halls and bars behind, but I did it in the middle of a pandemic with very little time to prepare. I moved into my apartment in Cape two days before my first class started, and I did not move to a very good part of town since I did not know better. However, I found a group of people that were welcoming and professors who were ready to work with me and help me to succeed. I enjoyed all my classes, and was fortunate to have many opportunities to learn and try new things. This program has solidified in helping me decide what I want to do with my life and I am thankful for that.

            Doing this masters program was really my life coming full circle. When I was little I wanted nothing more than to be a paleontologist. I had only decided to do engineering because that’s what most people around me thought I would be best at…turns out high schoolers don’t really know what they want. Now I will be able to do something adjacent to my childhood dream. I would really like to work in the Smithsonian Museum in D.C. (partially because they have an awesome fossil collection, and who knows what’s in storage).

            Cape Girardeau is the largest town I have ever lived in, so it’s size has been a bit overwhelming at times. I like the history of the town. It is an old town that has been around longer than Missouri has been a state, and it has a lot of good bars to drink at, fun places to visit, and there always seems to be something to do.

            A lot of my inspiration is self derived. I want to work in the Historic Preservation field because I think that is where I will be happiest. Some part of why I am aiming so high with the Smithsonian is because people keep telling me that I won’t make it. The biggest reason I am able to keep moving on and to do all the hard things I need to so I can succeed is my mom. Before I started here I had an opportunity to work for my uncle’s company as a traveling salesman. It was not a job I would have liked in any way shape or form, but he promised I could make a lot of money. I was almost done with the interviewing process and basically had the job lined up when my mom sat me down and made me admit to whether I would be happy doing that or if I would be happier following my heart into the field I am working towards. No matter what I decided to do or how big of a risk I took she always supported me and encouraged me to do what was going to make me happiest and I can’t thank her enough for that.

            My favorite thing about the program is how much hands on and practical experience I am getting. For instance in my Building Materials class we would often tour historic buildings and talk about the materials used and how they deteriorate and what can be done to fix that. In my Archives class I was able to create my own archival collection focused around my collegiate experience. Being able to see and do these things in person better equips me to do that task in my professional career while also helping to identify any areas of confusion I may have had.

            If you were to ask me about the American presidency or most major historic events that occurred during the 20th century there is a chance that we would spend quite a bit of time talking. I enjoy reading and learning about how the political sphere of the world impacts the social sphere, and since the 20th century sees the most social and political change it is a very exciting time for me to read about.

In the next few months I will be doing my advanced project which will give me even more hands-on experience in the field, and will be continuing to work at the Crisp museum setting up art galleries, helping with exhibits, and cataloging collections.

Hello, my name is Maria and I attended grad school at Southeast from 2017-2019! Going to grad school was not something I really thought I would do, but it has really helped me get to where I am.

With graduation from undergrad looming and no job prospects in sight, I decided grad school was the next path for me. When doing my research into grad school, I found the National Council on Public History which lists programs and other resources for the Public History profession. Through NCPH, a website I highly recommend you check out because it has tons of helpful information and resources, I found Southeast. When I looked into the school, it seemed like a good fit and a beautiful campus. I did apply to a couple of other schools, but I ultimately chose Southeast because I was offered a graduate assistantship which made it financially possible for me to attend.

Southeast ended up being a really good fit for me too because the Historic Preservation track offered courses on the built environment that I really enjoyed. Of those classes Field School and History of American Architecture were my favorites!

Attending Southeast was a good decision for me because it gave me a lot of opportunities and really helped me to get the job I have today. The professors have so many connections within the field that there were always a lot of networking opportunities which helped me get my internship and my job. Southeast’s preservation program is well known in the region and locals were always very welcoming. Since so many community members were familiar with the historic preservation program and saw the impact of the program, they actively wanted to work with Southeast students. There were always volunteer, educational, and professional opportunities available to us.

Currently I work for the Texas Historical Commission in Austin, Texas as a Certified Local Government Program Specialist within the Community Heritage Development Division. In this position I am able to work with Certified Local Governments (CLGs) throughout Texas, both cities and counties, to help them promote historic preservation. These communities know they have special historic places that they want to protect so we give them training and guidance so that they can preserve their historic resources and tell their community’s story.

All of the opportunities I had at Southeast and everything I learned has really helped prepare me for this position. Learning about the Main Street Four Point Approach, working on a National Register nomination, and preparing a historic resources survey has given me a lot of knowledge and experience that I have been able to apply to this current position and hopefully to any future endeavors!

For anyone starting grad school I offer two pieces of advice.

Firstly, take advantage of every opportunity you are given. If you have a chance to go to a conference or a networking event, GO. If you have a chance to volunteer or attend a seminar, DO IT. Everything you do in grad school is preparing you for your career and networking is one of the best ways to get your foot in the door, so go to those events and meet as many people as you can.

Secondly, take time for yourself. Whether that is going to therapy, shopping, or spending time with friends away from campus, do whatever you need to do for your mental health because grad school is stressful and can overwhelm you if you let it. I really struggled with my mental health in grad school and wish I had focused more on it.

As stressful and challenging as grad school was for me, I’m glad I was able to go because I don’t think I would have my current job without it. It really did help prepare me for my career.  

Hi! My name is Max Abbott and I am finishing up my M.A. in History. After graduating, I plan to continue my studies, and hope to earn a doctoral degree in history.

Unlike many of my classmates, I grew up in Cape Girardeau. Growing up off of New Madrid Street, Southeast was my playground. The old pool at Capaha Park cost money, but the fountains in front of Kent Library were free—if we could avoid apprehension by campus police. I’ve almost made it through two degrees here without my mother yelling at me for bringing home poor grades, but I cannot count the times she yelled at me for bringing home coal from the powerplant on campus.

Academically, it was these same experiences that pushed me away from Southeast after high school; I wanted to separate myself from this community and experience something else. Two years of study at a different University, and I knew that it was this community that made the experience here worth it. So, I came back and decided to stick around for grad school here because of the community of students and faculty that made this university more than a childhood playground.

I had always loved history in a particular way; nothing else every gave me the same sense of intellectual fulfillment, but I did not like the way history was taught in school. I loved reading it at home, but history class was laborious and boring. It was Mr. Steve Richardet’s APUSH (Advanced Placement, United States History) class that gave me an understanding of the why of history itself. From there, it was easy for me to decide on history as a major. My affinity for the Brits is the result of signing up for Dr. Joe Snyder’s Modern Britain course and being introduced to the why of British history.

As I finish my time here at Southeast, I am working on a set of projects that I think will have a significant impact. The Center for Writing Excellence is reworking their online tools for helping students use and understand the major citation styles (MLA, APA, Chicago) and I am heading that project. Similarly, I am developing a set of presentations and materials designed to help the Center aid students and instructors in learning/teaching research methods. The materials for both projects are intended to be interdisciplinary in approach; expanding these areas will help the Center strengthen its ties to the University system and increase cooperation.

Lastly, Dr. Snyder and I are working on developing a plan for cooperation between the Student Research Conference and Helix (the Center’s journal); as the two public-facing research outlets offered to students by this university, I believe it is crucial, as a historian, to pursue the expansion of research opportunities for students at university, regardless of field.

In my career moving forward, I want to write a popular history. I also want to write a book about research and writing and publish it open access. I think resources for excellent writing are difficult to obtain if you are not assigned them. So, an open access resource for students conducting/writing researching would be an incredible asset for students.