Hello!  I’m Jen Jones!

 I am a first-year Ph.D. student of Digital History at Clemson University. I currently work at the Clemson University Library as a Metadata Specialist. I work mainly with historical photos from the early years of Clemson. I researched and identified each picture’s who, what, and where. The research is my favorite part of my job. I often learn more about Clemson and local History than I expected in research. This is one reason I have chosen to focus my study on State and Local History. I genuinely enjoy telling the story of this fascinating area and its people.

When I first read about the Digital History Degree, I thought this was exactly what I wanted to be studying. Not only would I be a historian, but I would have tools that would allow me to reach more people and paint a more vivid picture of my research. I am currently looking into the Milltowns from this area and the culture and social interactions within the autonomous communities. Milltown is where families lived, worked, and attended church and school, surrounded by the beautiful Appalachian Mountains. From these mountains, my ancestors were part of the rise and decline of the textile mills. So, it is part of my own story.

I am just beginning my graduate work, but I am thankful to be part of this modern way of historical scholarship. I believe it can only make the study and sharing of History more interactive to people who might otherwise find History too distant. With technology, we can bring History to life.