Amelia Figler (B.A., M.A. in history 2025)
What brought you to Ohio State for your undergraduate education?
As someone from Ohio, I have always wanted to be a Buckeye. I grew up an Ohio State fan, and my two older sisters started here. When it was finally my turn to apply to college, Ohio State seemed like a no brainer. While I have always been a fan, there are many other things that drew me to Ohio State as a prospective Buckeye. This university had very strong programs in the majors that I was considering, I knew I would have many opportunities to excel both academically and socially, and, as a track and field and cross country student athlete, the OSU mid-distance/distance program was a place where I felt at home. Everything just seemed to fit.
Why did you decide to study history? What traits and qualities do you possess that led you toward the discipline?
When considering what I wanted to study, I was thinking of multiple options, especially in the humanities. Throughout my education, history was the subject that I was constantly excited to study, and I excelled in these classes. I have also been drawn to history outside of academics for most of my life. I am excited about learning about people and places of the past, and they become even more exciting if I get to visit the specific historical places, which I think piqued my interest for public history as well. I love the elements of historical research like reading and writing using various types of sources. I came to Ohio State interested in various areas of history, and I have been able to grow my knowledge as well as become more knowledgeable in the topics and time periods that are most exciting to me.
How did the major fit in with your Art Management major and other interests?
When people heard that I was a history major, they usually assumed I wanted to teach, whether that was in elementary or high schools or at the university level. I was more drawn to use my history degree to get involved in the museum field. I then learned about the Arts Management major, which focused on the more business side of arts and cultural institutions. My History and Arts Management majors fit together to provide me with a well-rounded education and set of experiences, including multiple curatorial and collections based internships, with the goal of working in museums, historical sites, and cultural institutions.
Why did you decide to embark upon the combined BA/MA in history?
I have been a member of the Ohio State varsity track and field and cross country teams during my five years at OSU, and after I had completed my junior year, I was looking for a way to continue my education while also utilizing the extra eligibility in athletics that I had from the COVID year. I discovered the combined BA/MA program in Public History, and it seemed to be a perfect fit. Public history was the perfect addition to my undergraduate studies to help me reach my career goals. I was able to extend the rest of my undergraduate courses while taking on graduate courses as well. After five years at Ohio State, I am graduating with not just a Bachelor of Arts but also a Master of Arts that both significantly contribute to my knowledge and qualification for the job field that I am hoping to enter.
What skills do you think studying history developed and how might they fit into your longer-term plans?
My research and writing abilities have been drastically enhanced from my time as a history major. I have really learned how to read effectively, discover the important points, and discuss both what I understand and do not understand with classmates and professors. There is so much more to history than just reading and memorizing names, dates, and places. The discussions in my classes have helped me think critically about themes of the past, how they exist in the present and, how they may affect decisions in the future. I have learned to work both independently and collaboratively. Additionally, as someone enrolled in undergraduate and graduate classes with a large workload as well as participating in varsity athletics as a three season athlete, I have developed effective time management skills and the ability to work efficiently as well as approaches to communication and meeting deadlines even when I have many things on my plate. I know that these skills will be valuable to me for both my career and personal life.
What advice do you have for current and prospective history majors?
I would really encourage anyone who is even remotely interested in a history major or minor to take a few courses in the OSU history department on topics that seem interesting to you. Every professor in this department is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about what they teach. When you have a chance to learn from those who are passionate about their work, the topics and even the assignments become even more exciting and interesting. I also know that this university can be as big or as small as you want to make it. The History Department provides the opportunity to take multiple classes with the same professor that you love and with some of the same classmates. As you get into the higher levels of courses, the class numbers become smaller and allow for very interesting and highly participatory discussions as well as one on one assistance from professors that is very valuable to growth. There are so many more things that can be done with a degree in history than you may think, so learn as much as you can from those around you during your time at OSU, especially in the History Department!
