James C. Wells

How did you choose your degree program?

I have always been interested in history and initially planned on becoming a secondary school teacher. After meeting some of the Mason professors who work in the public history field, I realized that there were other ways to make a career out of my love of history and passion for education. `

How did your academic experiences in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences impact you?

Reading and writing about the struggles that people have overcome in the past has helped me to see that no matter how overwhelming or how daunting our problems may be, there are always going to be people who want to help others and do the right thing. Going forward, I am always going to look towards the people that want to help -- whether they are 19th century abolitionists or present-day mutual aid workers.

What accomplishment(s) during your time at Mason are you most proud of?

As someone who has always struggled academically, I am very proud of my GPA. I put a lot of hard work in to get it where it is now, and I want to thank my family for supporting my efforts.

Are there faculty or staff members who made a difference during your Mason career?

While all of my professors at Mason have been great, I want to give special thanks to Dr. Gabi Tayac, who has always gone the extra mile to make her students feel welcome, respected, and valued in her classrooms and beyond. Likewise, I would like to thank the NAIA crew for helping me find community while at Mason. I would also like to thank Dr. Spencer Crew and Dr. Benedict Carton for helping me develop my writing skills and academic interests.

What are your current career plans following graduation? What are your long-term career goals?

For the moment, I am going to continue working at Woodlawn, a historic home in Alexandria. I plan on returning to school to work on a Public History MA after I have gained more experience in the field, and I hope to have a career in museums and public education.