Larisa Chancellor would like you to “spend a Saturday with some of the most interesting people in history” in a day-long “unconference” on George Mason University’s Fairfax Campus on November 16. The event is called “History Camp,” a presentation of the Boston-based nonprofit The Pursuit of History, which for six years has been bringing audiences face-to-face with researchers, reenactors, educators, and others who are passionate about local and regional history.
The November History Camp is the inaugural foray into Virginia, Chancellor said. Mason was selected as the scene because “we wanted a central location that provides access to some of the rich history in Virginia, as well as a comfortable space,” she said. “Also, George Mason is a central figure as a Founding Father and the school offers a fantastic location to historic sites and comfortable amenities.”
It didn’t hurt that Chancellor, a volunteer with The Pursuit of History, is familiar with Mason: When she was Larisa Prinz she graduated from Mason three times, first as an undergraduate in Art and Visual Technology in 2009, then a Graduate Certificate in Public Management from the Schar School of Policy and Government in 2014, and then a Master’s in Public Administration from the Schar School. (Information about five-credit graduate certificates is here.) Chancellor is the designer of the Mason timeline wall graphic that adorned the former Rathskeller sports bar in the SUB 1 basement.
“History Camp is fun,” Chancellor said, when asked what the “unconference” billing was about. “People are excited to be there and there’s an instant sense of community which gives the event energy. Presenters mix with attendees and are full-participants in History Camp—which opens the doors to a fluid exchange of ideas.”
Dozens of topics will be addressed, including “Indian Trade in the Southern Colonies,” “Campaign 1777: The Year of the Hangman,” “Susanna Bolling: The Girl Who Won the Revolutionary War,” “Abandoned History: Disappearing Historic and Cultural Sites of the East Coast,” “America’s First School for the Deaf,” “The Panama Canal: How the U.S. Got It, How the U.S. Got Rid of It,” “The Politics of Independence,” “Balls Bluff, 1861: Big Lessons from a Relatively Small Battle,” “1619-2019, the 400th Commemoration: The Arrival of the First Documented Africans in English North America,” and “Top Secret: The Story of Vint Hill Farms Station and the Cold War Museum.”
A full list of presenters is here. Registration is here.
And at the end of the day of history, “We hope that the attendees leave inspired to learn more, to get involved in history, and to share what they learned with others,” Chancellor said.
As for all of those degrees, “Both the certificate and the master's degree, coupled with work experience, has proven invaluable in developing successful relationships between public and private sectors,” said Chancellor, who is in business development for a government contractor working with the Department of Defense.
“The Master’s in Public Administration program appealed to me for a variety of reasons, but a main one is the diverse faculty and real world opportunities. Given the location and the partnerships the Schar School has in the community, I received a rich education from knowledgeable staff, many of whom who had careers in the fields they teach.
“In addition, I had access to a robust alumni network and lectures outside of the classroom that provided real world exercises and scenarios.”