Hi there! My name is Sara Ulanoski, and I am a first-year Public History Masters student at American University. I am from Louisville, Kentucky, where I graduated Summa Cum Laude with bachelor’s in history and anthropology at the University of Louisville. I moved to Washington D.C. in August, and I have loved exploring the city so far. Some of my favorite things to do outside class and work are go to happy hour and explore the city.
Currently, I am a middle school Social Studies teacher at an all-virtual Catholic school based in Virginia. I have known since I was a freshman in college six years ago that I wanted to work in a museum, and I have had a passion for teaching for even longer than that. When I graduate, I plan to combine those two interests by pursuing a career in museum education. Outside of museum education, my interests in history are pretty broad, but my favorites are histories of social justice and social movements in the late 20th century. During undergrad, I wrote my senior thesis on Public History, social justice, and Japanese American Redress.
At American, I hope to learn more about community-based museum design, inclusive design, and the best practices within the field. I am excited for the practicum class I am taking this semester because our team will be working with the curators of the “Girlhood” exhibit in Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. In this class, I am most concerned with how historians can use technology to extend learning for students. I have already witnessed an amazing example of a museum using videogame technology to engage students with the history of Thanksgiving (I actually assigned this game to a few of my classes). Offering educators these types of tools can make a significant impact on changing how history is taught in schools for the better.
