Chippewa Valley Times

Honors student Sabrina Massie is committed to making history accessible. Majoring in public history with a French minor and a legal studies certificate, Massie aims for a career as a history professor or in public history. They expressed their enthusiasm: “love talking about history; conducting research; compiling sources, data and artifacts; and condensing it all into something comprehensible for everyone to understand.”

Massie's interest in public history began at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Initially uncertain about their career path, they found inspiration in combining their passion for history with professional aspirations. “Public history looks at how history is interpreted in public spaces. For example, museums, historic sites, TV shows, books, etc,” they said.

A significant achievement for Massie was creating a digital exhibit based on their thesis project for HIST 380 under Dr. Cheryl Jiménez Frei. The thesis explored gender norms reflected in medical treatment and social rhetoric in Wisconsin from 1860 to 1914, focusing on women in insane asylums. “It’s a heavy topic, but really fascinating," Massie noted.

The UW-Eau Claire Honors Program has provided valuable opportunities for Massie by expanding course topics available to them. As a humanities major, they appreciated the variety: “Sometimes I need a break from my history-heavy course schedule.” A standout course was A Queer Lens: Representation in Art, Photography, and Film with Ellen Mahaffy.

In spring 2023, Massie studied abroad in Pau, France. They sought an immersive experience and improved their French language skills significantly during this time: “With students from all over the world...I also learned a lot of French slang.” They enjoyed the structure of classes there and noted how breaks helped maintain balance.

Looking ahead, Massie plans to pursue advanced degrees in public history after graduating from UW-Eau Claire. They believe the Honors Program has prepared them well: “more prepared to critically access or analyze a situation” and approach challenges differently.

Massie's ambition is clear as they continue their academic journey with hopes of contributing meaningfully to their field by making historical knowledge more accessible.