Graduate Research Assistantships

     Special Collections sponsors several graduate research assistantships. These positions traditionally are assigned to graduate students in the Public History program, but graduate students in the regular graduate history program also qualify. Graduate students with an interest in historical research in other disciplines also may be considered. Assignments include processing archival collections and staffing the public Reading Room, as well as assisting researchers from campus and from the public. Previous experience is welcome, but not necessary. For more information on how to qualify for a GRA position, see your academic adviser. To apply for a GRA, contact the Head of Special Collections.

GRA's in Special Collections - Spring 2012

My name is Sara Berry and I completed my undergraduate degree in history at Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina, in 2009. Previously, I have worked at the Anne Frank In the World, 1929-1945 exhibit in Decatur and Sandy Springs, Georgia. I spent extensive time in various archives in and around the Atlanta area last summer, including The Atlanta History Museum, Fox Theatre Archives, and the Georgia state archives in Morrow. I am working on my master's degree in Public History, and processing archival collections. My career objective is to work in museums.

My name is April Moon Carlson and I’m a native of West Georgia. I graduated in 2011 from UWG with a BFA in Studio Art with a concentration in painting and a minor in psychology. I'm currently pursuing my MA in Public History and am particularly interested in obtaining a Museum Studies Certificate. I am working with Georgia's Political Heritage Program, digitizing taped interviews and writing metadata for display on the Digital Library of Georgia. My prior experience includes volunteering with Thomasville Landmark's program, Operation C.A.R.E. (which assists economically disadvantaged homeowners restore their homes) and working as the Museum & Development Coordinator with the Center for Puppetry Arts. I adore puppetry, painting, folklore, fairytales and mythology, and am interested in how they are intrinsically tied to humanity’s history. I have hopes that my MA will enable me to work with one or more of these subjects.

My name is Alan McClarnand and I am a graduate student studying Public History. I have a MA in teaching from Oglethorpe University (2006) and a BA in History from George Mason University (1997). Additionally, I have 22 hours in graduate history courses earned from George Mason and Georgia State University. As an undergraduate at George Mason, I received the Donald R. Barr award for highest GPA (4.0).  I taught fifth grade for two years in the Georgia public school system and prior to that I worked several years in the telecommunications field. I have an honorable discharge as a Staff Sergeant in the United States Air Force. My historical interests are numerous, but my primary focus has been antebellum and U.S. Civil War history.  My goal upon graduation is to find employment in one of the multiple fields of public history such as special collections.

My name is Maryna Rakitova and I am helping with the creation of the Thomas B. Murphy office exhibit.  Before coming to the United States, I attended Kiev National Linguistic University in Ukraine, my home country.  In 2005 I moved to Georgia to attend Kennesaw State University.  Last December I graduated from KSU with the B.A. in History, and the outstanding senior award given by the Department of History.  Currently, I am enrolled in UWG’s Public History graduate program.  My previous experience includes volunteering at the Museum of History and Holocaust Education (located on KSU’s extended campus), and helping the Assistant Curator at KSU library with an exhibition of selected pieces from the university’s rare book collection, in which I supplied text for two exhibit cases and gave guided tours of the entire exhibit.  My immediate career objective is to become a specialist in the fields of museums and historic preservation.