Past Webinars

We interviewed Krishna Aniel, Community Services Specialist and Internship Coordinator and Rachel Moore current intern, who both work for the National Museum of the American Indian at the Smithsonian. Both BYU grads, they gave insight into the choices they made to work at a prestigious museum and organization, discussed the value of experiential learning and mentorship, and offered tips on how to apply to be an intern with the museum and also the Smithsonian.

Leslie Hadfield, Associate Professor of History and coordinator of Africana Studies at BYU, talks about her journey becoming a professor. She speaks to students about how she decided to pursue her education, the experiences she had to find the research area she cared passionately about, and encourages students to "try on" varying experiences to expose them to future possibilities.

Wayne Parker, Chief Administrative Officer at the City of Provo, received his bachelor's degree in History from BYU. He speaks with students about how History prepared him for an MPA and how he uses a majority of the skills he learned through his coursework in his current role. He talked about how his desire to be an attorney changed as he experienced different courses. He also explains how his degree prepared him to ask big questions and figure out context before making major decisions.

MacKenzie DuBois, 2021 BYU graduate (BA in History Teaching), is currently living her dream as a history teacher at Mountain Ridge High School in Arizona and talks with BYU students about her experience getting a dream teaching role in her former community, how critical race theory laws impact her everyday teaching, and gives examples to students about being qualified and how to approach the job search as a future teacher. MacKenzie has been accepted to ASU for a Master's program in History beginning Spring 2022, and hopes to pursue a PhD and teach at the university level.

Jedediah Rogers, Senior State Historian and Co-Editor of Utah Historical Quarterly, discusses the path he took to become a Historian who works for the state of Utah, experiences he recommends for students, and additional learning that qualified him for multiple roles from working at the Arizona Department of Water Resources, to the US Bureau of Reclamation, to working multiple faculty roles. He explains that his entrepreneurial spirit and his inspired mentors played a huge factor in where he is today.

Dean Rehberger, a graduate of American Studies and Associate Professor of History at Michigan State University (MSU), discusses the intersection of technology and history. His work has been pivotal at helping students ask the question of how to “deal with” the deluge of data from the past. He also discusses his work in digital history, public history and big data and how this cutting edge technology is changing the way historians do and present their work.

Tyler King, a graduate in History at BYU, is the Senior Social Media Manager at BambooHR, one of the fastest growing HR software companies nationwide - located in Utah. Tyler speaks with students about his career trajectory and how his history degree qualified him for graduate school, and also helps him with his job everyday. He talks about the value of experiential learning and gives tips to students as they see how a degree in history can benefit and open multiple opportunities.

Alan Barnett, Local Government Archivist at the Utah State Archives visits with students about how he got into the field of history, describes his day-to-day job and the collaboration that it takes to complete projects, and what students need to do to be qualified for the work he does. He also talks about evaluating personal biases and keeping them in check in record keeping.

Holly George is the author of Show Town: Theater and Culture in the Pacific Northwest, 1890–1920 (Oklahoma, 2016). George received a PhD in American History from the University of Washington in 2011; her research interests include culture (high and low), networks of all sorts, social welfare, and gender. She has been with the Utah State Historical Society since 2013. George's current research concerns Marie Ogden, the Home of Truth, and the broader metaphysical and political world she engaged in. George lives in Layton with her husband, mother, and two children; she loves gardening, hiking, classical music, and being domestic.

Matthew J. Grow is Managing Director of the Church History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He leads a team of history professionals who collect documents and artifacts, preserve them, and promote understanding of the Church’s past through a publishing program, a research library, a museum, and many historic sites. Grow also serves as a general editor of the Joseph Smith Papers and Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days. He has published widely on Latter-day Saint history and American religious history. Grow received his PhD in American history from the University of Notre Dame. He and his wife Alyssa live with their four children in Sandy, Utah.

Farina King, a citizen of the Navajo Nation, is Assistant Professor of History and affiliated faculty of Cherokee and Indigenous Studies at Northeastern State University, Tahlequah, Oklahoma. She received her Ph.D. at Arizona State University in U.S. History. King specializes in twentieth-century Native American Studies. She is the author of The Earth Memory Compass: Diné Landscapes and Education in the Twentieth Century. Farina discusses the value of finding love in what you do, the realities of pursuing a doctorate in History, and provides encouragement to those who have many interests to explore and try different and new things.

Virginia McAlister, Senior Genealogist Research Manager with Ancestry ProGenealogists speaks to students about her less than linear path to a job that she loves. She discusses opportunities and trends in the field, what experiences she gained to qualify for her job, the value of mentorship and networking, and provides tips for others interested in genealogy.

Dr. Gregory Jackson, Creator/Host/Head Writer of the US podcast, History That Doesn't Suck (HTDS), and Assistant Professor at UVU discusses his journey creating one of the most nationally recognized podcasts. He talks about how he is using his talent, expertise, and perseverance to bring his passion to the market. In this webinar, students will see the value of taking chances to follow their dreams, as well as learn some practical advice about how to qualify for opportunities.

Abraham Driggs, a senior in the history program at BYU, discusses how he used his history degree to enter commercial banking. Abraham talked about how he used the resources available on campus to connect and articulate what he was learning in history to what he wanted to do for a career.

Scott Dunaway, the Assistant Dean of FHSS and Director of BYU’s Washington Seminar, discusses an incredible opportunity for students from all majors to have an applied learning experience in Washington, D.C. Scott talks about how quality internships, briefings on current national issues, tours, and excursions, help students gain a valuable supplement to their academic training and the chance to be better prepared for their careers.

In this webinar, Jeremy Johnston said he often feels like “Indiana Jones” using his “detective” skills to uncover unknown pieces of the past. Johnston’s passion for history goes beyond working at the Buffalo Bill Center as he passionately expressed how history demonstrates who we are and where we are heading. Johnston relays to students how working as a historian allows him to question his own biases, collaborate and work with others who have differing views, and bring history to life. He offered practical advice, discussing how his internships, experiential learning opportunities, and skill sets were necessary to help him fine-tune and focus on what he wanted to do with a History degree.

David Rencher, Director and Chief Genealogical Officer and Ed Donakey, Vice President of Strategic Relations and Deputy Chief Genealogical Officer at FamilySearch discuss how they entered the Family History and Genealogical fields, what students can do to prepare for internships and careers in this field, and exciting trends in the industry.

Jenny Reeder has been part of some remarkable and momentous publications that have brought to light, and have given a voice to the amazing testimonies, undertakings, sermons, and historically relevant information of women in Church History. In this webinar, Jenny speaks with students about how she started her incredible work, how students can qualify to be involved in unique opportunities, and provides unique perspectives and advice about making sure historians “use their human voice”.

Ira Pemstein, the Supervisory Archivist at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library joined us at our first History’s Calling event speaking with students about how he obtained his degree and gained work experience through volunteer and internship opportunities. He discussed the need for qualifying candidates of similar jobs to be well-rounded in education, technology, experience, and policy writing/reading. Ira’s examples of his drive, perseverance, networking abilities, and love of preserving accurate historical documents, provides a baseline framework for how students can approach their area of study and achieve their career potential.