History

Photo: University Marketing
Story: Ashley Locke | Marketing Writer

Through an internship with the Benton County Historical Society, Shara cataloged artifacts from around the world and researched their background stories. On campus, she’s working on a project for Oregon State’s 150th anniversary to create signs for historic buildings, sharing the experiences of the people who built, taught and studied in them. Shara is also uncovering history’s less-known stories. Her senior thesis focused on the United States during the Vietnam War. But rather than go down the well-worn path of the anti-war movement, she looked at those who supported the war and why, examining more than a decade of American Legion archives. “Learning about the past and where people came from has always interested me,” Shara says. “Every class I’ve taken has gotten me further toward the things I’m interested in.” After graduation, Shara will begin an internship at the High Desert Museum in Bend, getting experience in multiple departments before applying to graduate school. She eventually wants to work as a museum collections manager or curator. Shara came to Oregon State with a love for history. She’ll leave on a path to a career as a historian.