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Theresa Blackman is an academic advisor in the Center for Advisement. She majored in history as an undergrad, and thinks you should consider majoring in history too. Theresa’s experience and advice exemplify why majoring in history is such a smart choice.
About me: I am originally from South Florida but moved to the Knoxville area in middle school. I attendee Lee University where I studied Modern European History. My specific area of study was Germany from the turn of the century to post war Europe. My plan was to obtain a PhD in history and teach Modern German History. However, I got involved in student government and fell in love with working with college students in an advisory role. Since History equipped me with excellent communication and writing skills I was able to gain entrance into a graduate program in student development and graduated in 2013 with my Master of Science. My first job out of graduate school was at UTK working in the Registrar’s Office. I spent 3 years working with transfer students and dealing with course equivalencies, AP, and other dual enrollment related situations. Last April I started at UTC with the Center for Advisement advising Social Science majors, when our office redistributed majors I was able to get History.
I was a graduate assistant with the history department at Lee where I got my Masters. There I helped run various admissions and recruitment fairs. I also spent a great deal of time giving presentations on why history is the best major in various first year studies courses while in graduate school. I also served as Treasurer and President of Phi Alpha Theta and participated in many recruitment events with them, as well as speaking at the 2009 national conference in Orlando, FL.
Why I encourage students to consider majoring in history: Most of the students I meet with who love history don’t opt to major in it because they think there is no career in it. The way a college education is publicized to them and how their families talk about it, is that it is a venue for a job. If they cannot rationalize a job in that field they will not major in it. I spend a lot of time talking about careers one can do with a history degree outside of teaching. This tends to get a good reception and gets students seriously considering majoring in history. Some of the careers I highlight are:
- Law
- Non-profit/government
- Museum studies
- Library sciences
- Business/marketing
Many students come in with a specific thing they want to do, and realize that whatever that was, it was not what they thought it would be. So they come to me to talk about what else is out there. Others have fallen in love with a certain class and it has opened their eyes to what that subject really is. Unfortunately, many have been jaded by their high school history courses and this is the first time they have really experienced the study of history. Other students discover they are really good at a subject they never thought they would be. It causes them to consider a major change.
How I can help: Please email me at Theresa-blackman@utc.edu if you have questions you would like me to chat with you about!