On Friday, December 11, from 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m., the Historical Society of Pennsylvania will host its first Public History Networking Event.
The event is free and will be a unique chance for undergraduate and graduate students interested in a profession in Public History to meet professionals from the greater Philadelphia area. The event will feature a tour of HSP, a presentation from the National Archives and a panel discussion with professionals from a vast selection of Philadelphia institutions and career paths.
Included in the panel discussion will be experts representing all aspects of museum life such as education, development and archival preservation. There will be representatives from Chemical Heritage Foundation, Drexel University, Wells Fargo History Museum, HSP, National Archives and Cliveden of the National Trust. HSP is still waiting to hear from a few museums and organizations, so the panel discussion participates may grow.
Although students will not be able to apply for jobs at the event, they will have the special opportunity to speak to museum professionals about possible career possibilities at their respective organizations.
“As a recent graduate, I wish I had the opportunity in my History graduate program to attend an event like this,” says Alicia Parks, who received her Bachelor’s in Education at the University of North Carolina–Greensboro and her Master’s in History from Villanova University, and is now the Education Manager for HSP.
“It was not until my very last semester that I even did an internship and I realized quickly that I had no idea all the opportunities available in the museum world. Also, if you want to be successful in public history you should really know the organizations prior to applying. It is invaluable to know people at various organizations in order to collaborate successfully and have more opportunities for future employment.”
This is the first networking event that HSP will host, but, if it is a success, Parks says it will become an annual event.
To register for the networking event, click here.