Student鈥檚 Seven Years of Persistence, Perseverance Lead to Graduate Degree in Public History
Tara Jones鈥� path to her graduate degree in public history is a testament to resilience, perseverance, and persistence. Her seven-year academic journey at 猫咪av Little Rock was shaped by her deep passion for history and desire to make a meaningful impact in the world.
鈥淚’ve always loved history and would watch the History Channel growing up, so I thought why not major in something I enjoy and love studying,鈥� she said.
The support from her mentors and the clarity of her goals kept her going during moments of doubt.
鈥淕etting my master鈥檚 degree wasn鈥檛 difficult, but it definitely wasn鈥檛 a walk in the park,” she said. “There were many times I questioned myself, wondering, ‘Why am I doing this again?’ And then I remembered my why, which really helped me push through on the days I wanted to quit.”
Her perseverance paid off, and after years of hard work, Jones will earn her master’s degree in public history.
The Little Rock native received her undergraduate degree in history from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. “I was interested in becoming a curator of a history museum,” she recalled. One day, Jones visited the university’s museum and introduced herself to the two curators there. “I told them I want to do what you鈥檙e doing.”
One mentor graduated from the Public History program at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, which solidified Jones鈥� decision to get her master鈥檚 degree in public history. She eventually enrolled at 猫咪av Little Rock. She faced many challenges as she juggled multiple responsibilities, including working as a graduate assistant and a part-time worker in the Human Resources Department of a trucking company.
“Working part-time while being a GA and going to school full-time definitely taught time management and responsibility,鈥� Jones said.
Though her career path initially pointed toward the museum world, Jones鈥檚 journey took a turn when she found a different kind of passion in the field of organ and tissue donation.
She started working as a department assistant at the Arkansas Regional Organ Recovery Agency (ARORA).
“I鈥檝e always been an advocate for organ and tissue donation, but since being at ARORA for five years, I鈥檝e really grown passionate about it,” Jones said.
Now, she educates others about the importance of donation and also encourages people to research the subject, dispelling myths and highlighting the life-saving potential of organ and tissue donation.
“I鈥檓 not here to convince someone to be a donor, but to encourage them to do research and realize they could save someone鈥檚 life,” Jones said.
Her thesis, “A Collective History of the Arkansas Regional Organ Recovery Agency (ARORA),” combines her love for history and her work at ARORA.
“While doing research, I learned that organ and tissue donation is not as new of a science as we think it is. For example, the first successful skin graft was performed in 1869,” she said.
Such discoveries have only fueled her desire to share her knowledge with others, particularly those who might be unaware of how donation could impact their lives.
Jones first began her academic career as an undergraduate at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville but faced academic probation after her first year.
“I returned the following year, improved academically, but still didn鈥檛 perform well enough to get my scholarships back,鈥� she explained. 鈥滻 transferred to 猫咪avPB with a 2.4 GPA. It was a lot of hard work, but I was determined, and I graduated with a 3.0.”
She persevered, taking 5 1/2 years to earn her undergraduate degree. Graduate school was no different; what was supposed to be a two-year program took her seven years to complete.
“I completed my coursework in two years, but my thesis 鈥� that took much longer,鈥� she said. 鈥淎fter changing my topic several times, I reached a point where I almost gave up, thinking, ‘I鈥檓 okay with not finishing.'”
But with the encouragement of her family and friends, she completed her thesis and her degree. Reflecting on her journey, Jones is grateful for the people who supported her every step of the way.
“I have so many people to thank鈥攎y family, my friends, my mentors, Ms. Kitti and Ms. Stephanie, Dr. Romney and Dr. Key, and a multitude of people from my village,” Jones said.