Public History MA Student Jodi Silvio recently had the honor of presenting at the Oral History Association's annual conference in Long Beach, California. Her poster project "Fifty Years of Progress: Showcasing the Oral History Association's Past as it Propels Toward the Future" was displayed during the conference. Silvio answered a few questions about the project,
Tell us about your project. What got you interested in the topic?
I got involved with the Oral History Association through the internship component of the MA program. The poster I presented was an extension of that internship, during which I researched, co-authored, and designed a five-panel print exhibit for the OHA's fiftieth anniversary, which was displayed during the conference. The poster detailed the methodology of creating the exhibit, which was somewhat unique in that I worked long distance with another graduate student as well as members of the OHA at Georgia State University. It detailed how crucial technology was to the success of the project from start to finish, as we utilized technology such as Skype to collaborate, and I used design software such as Illustrator and Photoshop to create the final design of the exhibit.
How was presenting at the conference?
Presenting at the conference was much less intimidating than I had first imagined it would be, as the fellow historians and members of the OHA are a very diverse and sociable group. I was grateful for my first conference experience to be within such a welcoming environment. I received valuable feedback on the work I had done on the exhibit panels, and even met a couple of individuals who were featured within the exhibit!
As an online student in the second year of the program, what can you tell me about the Public History program?
As an online public history student, the opportunity to get involved in the field through an internship and conference participation has been beyond valuable. The core of public history is working outside of the academy, so finding good internship and/or presentation opportunities helps to build the skills we will need after graduation. In my case, it not only taught me new skills such as exhibit design, but it also provided an outlet to meet and interact with peers and mentors across the country.
What are your plans for after graduation?
After graduation, I plan to keep an open mind and pursue whatever opportunities may present themselves. After participating in the OHA conference and completing my internship through the association, I developed a new interest in exhibit design and oral history as both tools and career options. Though my primary research interest when first beginning the program was historic preservation, I chose public history to have a wider range of possibilities, and plan to keep that mindset as I begin a career search.