This is the final post in a series about my experience at the OAH/NCPH 2012 Annual Meeting. I started out talking about some of the more "traditional" sessions I attended at the meeting and then highlighted a couple of the "non-traditional" sessions that I found particularly enjoyable. However, by far the most invaluable part of the trip to Milwaukee and attending NCPH 2012 was making connections with so many different people in the field.
This brings me to the single piece of advice I would offer to any grad student or new professional planning on attending a conference - especially a large one for your field. Take advantage of every opportunity offered to meet new people and have a new experience.
Volunteer
The first opportunity for me, was to sign up to be a volunteer at registration for the conference. Grad students could volunteer and have our registration fee waived (so a great way to save money as well!) Laura and I were assigned the unenviable time slot of 7:45 - 11:30am of the first day of the conference. As much as it pained us to get out of bed so early, after such a long drive the day before, what previously seemed like a necessary evil to save some money turned out to be one of the best experiences during the conference. Greeting members of both NCPH and OAH as they arrived, I had a chance to introduce myself, make contacts, and put names with faces of people that I wanted to hear speak. It turned out to be a great opener when talking with people later in the conference, "Didn't I meet you at check-in?" and even resulted in some consulting work for me!
Mentor/Mentee Program
NCPH provides grad students and new professionals attending NCPH annual meetings for the first time an opportunity to connect with conference veterans through the mentorship program. I signed up, and was paired with Mary Rizzo, Associate Director for the New Jersey Council for the Humanities. We exchanged a few emails leading up to the conference, and then planned to meet at the opening reception the first day of the conference. Mary was enthusiastic and easy to talk to, and introduced me to several other people at the reception. We talked a bit about how we each got into public history, our roles in NCPH, and Philadelphia (we both love the city!) I felt fortunate to have such a great pairing in the Mentor Program, because Mary had just as many questions for me as a new member of NCPH (she is a board member) as I had for her, a veteran in the field. It made me feel that NCPH is concerned with meeting the needs of its members (which can be tricky for such as diverse field.)
Women in the Historical Profession Luncheon
The conference offered many opportunities specifically for grad students, and one was free tickets (on a first come, first serve basis) the the Women in the Historical Profession luncheon. Not wanting to miss an opportunity to network (and - let's be honest - get a free meal) Adriana, Laura, and I signed up. This event was hosted by an Organization of American Historians (OAH) committee (it was a joint OAH/NCPH meeting.) This was a change of pace for us, as most of the functions we had been attending were geared toward NCPH members (though some were for both organizations, like the opening reception.) The three of us found ourselves at a lunch table with professors, authors, and traditional history PhD students. I had a nice chat with a professor next to me about the UWO Public History program and what I planned on doing once I finished with my MA. While it was a good opportunity to talk with people at the conference I likely wouldn't have otherwise met, it was also a bit of a reminder of why I am in public history as opposed to more 'traditional' history.
Overall, the conference was an amazing experience, and this was mostly a result of the people I listened to/talked with/met while I was in Milwaukee (as well as the fabulous people I traveled to the meeting with!) It gave me a feel for what I dynamic organization NCPH is, and that is because of the diverse membership. This was a wonderful opportunity, and I would recommend attending an annual meeting to anyone in the public history field.
Come to Ottawa in April for NCPH 2013!
What could be a better way to end the school year than with a road trip with two of your best grad school buddies? I'll tell you what: make that trip extra nerdy with your destination - Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the National Council on Public History/Organization of American Historians 2012 Annual Conference!
I have wanted to attend a NCPH conference for a few years now, but either the timing didn't work out or the travel costs were prohibitive. I mentioned my interest to the director of the Public History program at UWO, and she suggested I consider presenting at the conference. Then I would be eligible for funding to help off-set travel costs.
So I brought the idea to the other members of my small group for our 1812 project, Adriana and Laura. They were in! We put together a proposal for a poster presentation about our research for the War of 1812 commemorative smartphone app, and it was accepted! (You can see how famous we are now on page 80 of the conference program.)
Once we were accepted, and started making plans for the trip, we realized how many amazing opportunities there are for graduate students at a conference like this. First, everyone knows that as students our budgets are tight, so there are a lot of ways to save money on the trip. We can join NCPH and OAH at the discounted student rate, we signed up for a volunteer shift at the conference so our registration fee will be waved, and there is a women in the historical profession luncheon which offered limited complimentary tickets for grad students on a first come, first serve basis. We were able to sign up for those as well. It also helps that the three of us traveling together will split gas and hotel for the trip.
There are also several sessions, tours, and activities geared toward students to help us get the most out of the conference (there's actually a whole section of the program for grad students.) All three of us have signed up for the mentor program, which will put us in touch with a conference veteran to help us learn the ropes and get us started meeting new people. We're also attending a breakfast for first-time conference attendees. There is a speed-networking session, where we will have the opportunity to experts in fields such as museums, historic sites, historic preservation, and independent consulting. And of course we signed up for the Riverwest: An Exploration of Milwaukee's Tavern Culture for Grad Students Bus Tour!
Our hotel is booked, and we're all registered, so now Laura, Adriana, and I are just counting the days! You can bet there will be future posts about my first professional conference experience!
Oh, and if you are interested, here is the abstract for our poster session:
Putting History in the Palm of Your Hand: War of 1812 Historical & Commemorative Smart Phone Application
A waterfront park, an empty field, and an unassuming cemetery - what do these have in common? All are important historical sites in South Western Ontario, though few recognized their significance. Often, locations such as these have little more than a plaque to commemorate the the events that took place, but that does not diminish their historical value. Anniversaries offer perfect opportunities to connect the public to local history. The upcoming bicentennial of the War of 1812 has been a catalyst for national commemorations in Canada. To engage visitors at these Ontario sites, Public History graduate students at the University of Western Ontario are researching and developing a GPS-guided smart phone application. This project will document, commemorate, and promote the important regional sites connected with the War of 1812. The tour will follow the retreat of British Major-General Henry Proctor his First Nations allies led by Tecumseh, beginning at Fort Malden in Amherstburg and ending with the battle of the Themes just outside of Moravaintown. By making use of contemporary digital technology, the smart phone application will provide visitors with a multisensory, educational, and entertaining experience. For this project, the students partnered with the War of 1812 South Western Ontario Region established by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Culture, as well as the Tecumseh Parkway Committee. Collaborations such as this make it possible to provide a compelling and cohesive visitor experience.
