Featured Student: Ashleigh Deno

BIO

• YEAR AT MURRAY STATE: Senior

• HOMETOWN: Owensboro, KY

• MAJOR: History Education

• INTERESTING FACT: I’ve had afternoon tea with a Scottish Countess.

• FAVORITE BOOK: Currently rereading the Percy Jackson series and, honestly, they still hold up.

• FAVORITE FOOD OR DRINK ON CAMPUS: The milkshakes at Steak ‘N Shake are *chef’s kiss*

• FAVORITE CAMPUS EVENT: Archives After Dark at Pogue!

Q&A

Why did you choose to attend Murray State?

I fell in love with campus and the atmosphere the very first time I visited. My mom and I had such a great time visiting that I knew this was the only place I ever wanted to go. It felt like a place I could call home, and I love the small town of Murray.

Why did you choose your major and minor?

I’ve always loved history, and I knew I wanted to be a teacher my sophomore year of high school when I started tutoring. Once I knew I wanted to teach, it was easy to pick a subject. History has always been my favorite subject in school because it’s a legitimately endless subject. No matter how long you study history, there’s always something new to learn and discover, and there are constantly new things to fall in love with.

Tell us about a few of your favorite courses, projects, or mentors.

The Department of History chair, Dr. Kathy Callahan, is one of the best people I’ve ever met in my life. I may be biased saying that as I did study abroad in Scotland for a month with her, but she is my favorite professor here at Murray State. She’s always willing to talk with me about anything and everything, and on the few occasions where I’ve had a problem, she’s fixed it almost instantly. I highly recommend taking one of her classes if you get a chance or studying abroad with her! The month I spent in Scotland with her was one of the best times of my life, and it’s because of her that we enjoyed afternoon tea with a Scottish Countess.

The other professor I’ve really connected with during my time here is Dr. Eleanor Rivera who’s also in the Department of History. We first met when my communications class required we interview someone we’ve never met before, and Dr. Rivera graciously agreed to sit down with me, and I’ve had two classes with her since! Her class on the global history of childhood is one of my favorite classes I’ve taken here at Murray. Dr. Rivera is great to have a chat with. She’s currently my thesis advisor, and I couldn’t be any happier about that!

Tell us about any clubs/organizations you’ve been part of.

I’m the secretary and treasurer of English Student Organization (ESO) which has been an amazing experience. We typically have a theme each week, but we just sit around and destress with each other while discussing pop culture and whatever else we can think of. We meet Wednesdays at 6pm over Zoom if anyone would like to join us! You can reach out to me for the Zoom links each week.

As a history major, I’m also a part of History Club, which is tons of great fun and a nice way to get involved with the department. We’re doing a lot more varied things this year as it’s all online, but we’d love to have more new members join us! Dr. Rivera can be contacted for that.

What are your plans for after graduation?

I graduate in May 2021, and I plan to start teaching high school history somewhere here in Western Kentucky. I can’t wait to have a classroom of my own. And, to celebrate no longer living in a dorm, I’m definitely getting another cat 🙂

What advice would you give to incoming students at Murray State?

Make use of the time you have here! You won’t be in college forever, so hang out with your friends every chance you get and make some new friends, too! Participate in campus activities and take a break from homework and studying for a little while. I promise, there’ll always be more homework to come, so remember to take breaks and focus on your mental health.