At Georgia Southern, our mission is to make sure you’re ready to dig in from day one in an exciting career. With our hands-on history degree, you’ll be ready to roll up your sleeves and engage in exciting research, fieldwork and more. Here are just a few stories from our students and alumni about their firsthand experiences in our programs…
Our Alumni
Shannon Browning Mullis: Head of the Cultural Assets Department at Girl Scouts of the USA
As head of the Cultural Assets Department at Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA), Shannon Browning-Mullis is the keeper of Girl Scout history. Along with her team based in GA and NY, she oversees the operations and interpretation of the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace Museum in Savannah, GA, the
GSUSA Collection & Archive, and the GSUSA Archive Research Center (ARC) in Briarcliff Manor, NY. In addition, the Cultural Assets team supports the historians and archivists at the 111 Girl Scout councils around the country. The Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace is the only museum owned by GSUSA. The 1821 Federal style home in Savannah, GA tells the story of Juliette Gordon Low and the founding of the Girl Scout Movement through the lens of Progressive Era America. The site offers daily guided tours, educational programs for Girl Scouts, and educational programming for the general public.
The GSUSA Collection & Archive contains over 100,000 documents and artifacts that embody the history of the Girl Scout Movement. The collection is made up of historical documents and photographs, uniforms, badges, patches, pins, fine arts, decorative arts, and publications. The collection is used to share Girl Scout history through display at the Birthplace, temporary exhibitions, traveling exhibitions, lectures, publications, blog posts, social media, and other venues. In addition, researchers are hosted at the ARC upon request.
Shannon also develops and maintains partnerships with museums and cultural institutions around the country through speaking engagements, exhibitions loans, and research collaboration. These partnerships facilitate the preservation and sharing of the Girl Scout story and remind the public of its importance as a pivotal force in American History.
Jessica Forsee: Air Force Historian at Air Force Special Operations Command
“The GSU History Department provided me with a collaborative research environment that fostered critical thinking and challenged me to go further in all aspects of my studies. I learned how to use history as a framework to inform today’s problems and as a tool to analyze multiple perspectives: economic, social, environmental, geo-political, and military. Having that research support from professors, faculty, and my fellow students was fundamental to giving me a solid transition into the workforce and preparing me for my current job as an Air Force historian at Air Force Special Operations Command. I’m part of a 5-person team where we document, in real time, how Airmen conduct specialized air power across the spectrum of operations and produce historically relevant reports and briefings to inform decision makers. In addition we maintain a digital archive of the command’s corporate memory and conduct oral history interviews with senior leaders and current operators.”
Cassandra Day: Archivist, McCraken Library, Buffalo Bill Center of the West
“The connections, experiences, and valuable tools I learned as a history major helped me achieve my goal of becoming a Certified Archivist and working at a world-class museum. The mentorship of my thesis advisor and other history professors helped me develop the interpersonal and collaborative skills that allow me to work with researchers, patrons, and colleagues in a productive and creative way. I learned valuable tools during my four years with the department, including identifying and utilizing primary and secondary resources, writing, editing, research skills, and critical thinking. I continue to use them in my everyday work responsibilities. Through the department’s Phi Alpha Theta Honors society, I gained a sense of belonging in the historical community and received real world leadership experience. GSU’s History Department really set me up for success, and I would not be where I am
today without the guidance and knowledge I gained as a history major!
Vaughnette Goode: Walker, Footprints of Savannah Walking Tour
“I am owner/operator of Footprints of Savannah Walking Tour and share with my guests, ‘I am a Historian who gives Tours!’ Now that I have a Master in History from Georgia Southern University – Armstrong Campus. While working on the degree I traveled to Jamaica to research and create a Footprints of Kingston Tour as my project in Dr. Amy Potter’s Introduction to the Geography of Tourism. The course work in that class has added to my effectiveness as a current member of the Board of Directors of both the Savannah Chamber of Commerce and Visit Savannah. I am also more adept at research, from credible sources, from Georgia Southern University’s Digital History class.”