Our Students
For previous students in our field, click here.
2024-25 Students
Sadie-Lyn Bieman graduated from Huron University College with a B.A. in History and a Minor in Public History. Throughout her undergraduate degree, Sadie was drawn to the theory and practice of Public History to make history more accessible and engaging to a public audience. In her coursework, Sadie has worked with the City of London on Public History projects including the “What’s in a Street Name?” project that involved researching the historical origins of the street names in London, as well as the “Voyage of the Drum” project that demonstrated the current drumming culture in London as a UNESCO designated World City of Music. Sadie has also worked with community partners including Banting House where she produced a short documentary about the importance of place in the birth of the idea for insulin, as well as with Eldon House where she transcribed the travel diaries of the Harris women and mapped their journey to Hong Kong.Sadie has been working as a Summer Museum Coordinator at the Palmerston Railway Heritage Museum since 2021. She is very experienced in collections management and archival work but is always seeking to learn more. Through Western’s Public History MA, she hopes to encourage the public to engage with history in interesting and meaningful ways.
Kamila Costello holds a B.A. Honours in History and a Minor in Indigenous Studies from Brock University, graduating with First Class Standing. Throughout their academic journey, Kamila concentrated on the histories of colonization and Indigenous histories, with a particular focus on liberation movements and the historical relationship between national parks and colonialism. In 2022, Kamila had the opportunity to study abroad at the University of the West Indies in Barbados.
Kamila’s passion for history reflects their broader commitment to justice and community engagement. For three years, they have worked in the environmental non-profit sector in London, allowing them to foster connections and deepen their understanding of issues facing our community. For over a decade, Kamila has volunteered at Longwoods Conservation Area and Ska-Nah-Doht Village and Museum, where they first discovered their passion for Public History. Their work as a Cultural Outreach Assistant at Longwoods aided in the development of youth programs and exhibits centered on Haudenosaunee history, culture, and environmental conservation within the Thames Valley watershed.
Outside of their academic and professional endeavors, Kamila is an avid outdoor enthusiast who enjoys camping, hiking, and running. Kamila also loves baking, creating art, and spending quality time with their pets.
Mac Goodyear received his B.A. Honours in Archaeology from Trent University, with specializations in history, ceramics, and linguistics. His undergraduate research helped to build his passion for public history, encompassing topics around the history of the Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island, the evolution of humanity and civilizations globally, and interpreting the stories of individuals and peoples as told through their material culture and remains.
Mac’s first discovery of public history as a possible profession came as a child through the Indiana Jones film Raiders of the Lost Ark. During high school and into his university years, Mac found a passion for public history work as a curatorial volunteer and intern at the Museum of Ontario Archaeology. Following his graduation from Trent, he did work for the Komoka Railway and Elgin County Railway Museums, working in roles that included public education, updating exhibits and collections spaces, and contributing to local history research.
As he continues his studies, Mac hopes to share his infectious, life-long passion for public history with others. When not engaged in his studies, Mac enjoys reading and exploring the outdoors through golf, hikes, and running with his family dogs.
Neisa Long graduated from King’s University College in 2022 with a B.A. Honours in Criminology and History. As a first-generation graduate, Neisa views her academic achievement as a significant milestone. Central to her everyday life is her commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) activism and social justice. Neisa has worked as an EDI coordinator in the Office of the AVP, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) at Western University since 2022. Through this role, she holds the position of Acting Chair of the Black Faculty and Staff Network and Pride Planning Committee, organizing community consultation and advocacy for equity-deserving group members on Western’s campus. Neisa’s goal as an aspiring historian is to advance knowledge-sharing and digitization of archival materials to reshape the historical narratives surrounding Black communities in Canada. She is particularly interested in exploring the experiences of Black individuals and communities in Southwestern Ontario, and uncovering the diverse landscape of Black thought, life, knowledge systems and its rich history that has existed for generations. Drawing from her academic pursuits and personal experiences, she hopes to continue researching racial inequity and the prevention of cultural erasure, while exploring its historical underpinnings and enduring legacies.
Christopher McKay graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a B.A. Honours in History in 2003. In 2005, he was awarded a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education from the University of Edinburgh. For the past 18 years, he has been an elementary school teacher, teaching primarily grades 7 and 8. In his free time, Chris is a passionate historian. In addition to being a War of 1812 reenactor, he works with historic sites to plan events that are engaging and educational for the public. During the War of 1812 bicentennial commemorations, Chris led a research project in which he and his co-author created a database to name all the known British and Canadian War of 1812 casualties. The database consists of over ten thousand names and appears online as The War of 1812 Casualty Database. Chris also co-hosts a variety of events and programs aimed at sharing history in different mediums, including an annual History Symposium in Southwestern Ontario, most recently at Museum London in March 2024. During the pandemic, he also began co-hosting a monthly online lecture series which has garnered a worldwide audience.
Eric Norris has a B.A. Honours in History with a Specialization in ‘Revolution, War, and Upheaval’ and a Minor in International Studies from the University of Waterloo. His studies focused on International History in the 20th century pertaining to political movements and conflicts, and their international consequences and lasting legacies. During his undergraduate degree, Eric worked as a Research Assistant for projects on American-Soviet Cold War Relations and Communism and the American Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s. For two years, Eric held an executive position on the University of Waterloo’s Undergraduate History Society, serving as its President in his final year. Eric has worked at the Palmerston Heritage Railway Museum as a Museum Co-ordinator, working with fellow employees to better accession, organize and store the museum’s artifacts and archives, while also working to engage customers through tours and exhibits. He has also volunteered at The Museum in Waterloo as an interpreter. Eric’s experiences at the museum greatly influenced his decision to enter Western’s Public History MA, where he hopes to expand his knowledge on communicating history and its ramifications to a general audience.
Taylor-Victoria Northwood recently completed her B.A. in History and Anthropology at Carleton University. On academic exchange at Edinburgh University, she was able to expand her knowledge base, learn in a new environment, and travel to new places. The experience heightened her passion for history and taught her a great deal about other cultures. As an undergraduate student, Taylor worked extensively with the Carleton University community, serving as a student mentor and ambassador with the Enriched Support Program, in an administrative and technical support role for the Lifelong Learning Program, and developed teaching curriculum and learning modules for the History Department through the Students as Partners Program.Taylor completed a practicum in public history which focused on the history of GottaGo Ottawa!, a campaign that advocates for a network of accessible, safe, free, clean and environmentally responsible public toilets and water fountains. Her work involved conducting oral history interviews and presenting these findings through an interactive timeline. Taylor’s historical interests include famous shipwrecks, the Second World War, the War of the Roses, 20th century North American culture and 20th century American politics. She is eager to learn more about the use of Hollywood film in history and documentary style filmmaking during her year in Western’s Public History MA.
Georgian Parkes has a B.A. Honours with a double major in History and English Literature from the University of Ottawa. She is especially interested in the way people and cultures interact with the past and seeks to promote public engagement with history by making topics approachable and interactive. Georgian is also inspired by the close study of material culture, using lenses such as microhistory to develop a deep and well-rounded understanding of artifacts. Georgian first encountered public history in her role as the Curatorial Assistant at the Callander Bay Heritage Museum. Working at this small, community museum, she was inspired by the blend of academics and public service, as well as the diversity of the job. Georgian worked as the Programming Coordinator at the Goulbourn Museum, where she developed programs, hosted events, and produced exhibition content. She also volunteered at the University of Ottawa’s Museum of Classical Antiquities, designing promotional materials and documenting the collection. She later became the museum’s Collections Manager, a role which included developing exhibits, updating collections practices, hosting events and workshops, and managing daily operations. This past summer, Georgian diversified her experience by working as a student archaeologist with the National Capital Commission.
Public History MA Cognates
Paige (Milner) Murray has an Honours B.A. in History and a Minor in Medieval Studies from Western University. Throughout her undergraduate degree, Paige focused on social and women’s history within Canada during the nineteenth century, which culminated in a thesis exploring the lived experience of Magdalene Asylum inmates. During this time, she had the opportunity to curate exhibits, present research, and publish an article.
In the summer of 2022, Paige worked for the Heritage London Foundation (HLF) as a historic site interpreter and researcher. There she carried out archival research and conducted nine oral interviews to curate a virtual exhibit highlighting the experience of female hosiery workers during the second half of the twentieth century. She also developed HLF’s first oral history practical and ethical toolkit and was interviewed by CBC radio London for her research. Paige returned to HLF for the summer of 2023 and curated a physical exhibit on the built heritage of the London Asylum for the Insane, conducted ten oral history interviews with past employees, and also investigated the experience of female patients within the institution.
For her 2024 public history summer internship, Paige interned with Stantec Consulting Ltd as a Cultural Heritage Intern. In this role, Paige was responsible for assisting in the research for and creation of a variety of heritage reports, including: Cultural Heritage Evaluation Reports, Cultural Heritage Existing Conditions and Preliminary Impact Assessments, Heritage Impact Assessments, and Heritage Conservation District Studies and Plans.
Paige volunteers on the Education Sub-Committee and Stewardship Sub-Committee of the London Community Advisory Committees and is also a volunteer Historical Home Sign Researcher for the Architectural Conservancy Ontario London Branch.
