Elise Griffin '24
At the start of Elise Griffin ’24’s college career, she knew that she loved studying history but she never would have anticipated the path that her time at Illinois College would take her or the opportunities available that shaped her future.
Coming from Edwardsville, IL, Griffin wanted to attend a small college. When she visited IC during her junior year of high school, she knew that the Hilltop was the right place for her.
After her first semester, Griffin realized that though she initially wanted to major in history education, she did not want to become a teacher. With the guidance of Jaime Klein, Griffin found herself taking a public history class and discovered a newfound love of museum studies.
“I immediately fell in love with archival work and learning about museums and how they function on a deeper level,” Griffin explains.
Between her sophomore and junior year, Griffin had the opportunity to work in the Khalaf Al Habtoor Archives on campus. “My summer working in the archives was incredible,” reflects Griffin. “That experience solidified that public history is what I want to do for the rest of my life.”
Griffin also took advantage of the chance to study abroad when she participated in a BreakAway to Japan that directly related to her academic interests and brought learning to life for her. “My senior capstone project was about Buddhism,” Griffin explains, “Being able to go to Japan and learn about Buddhist monks and to walk where they have was so incredible.”
Griffin’s passion for history comes alive in her current work as a historical interpreter at Cahokia Mounds World Heritage Site in Collinsville, IL. She credits IC for the chance to Graduate READY for a career she never considered before coming to the Hilltop. “I don’t think I would have had that opportunity at a different college.”