Larissa Horton

High school: Moline High School

Hometown: Coal Valley, Ill.

Major: History

Minor: Sociology and anthropology   

Post-grad plans: Taking a year to work, with plans to return to school for a master's in library and information science

Why Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø?

Growing up in the Quad Cities, I was already familiar with Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø from living nearby my entire life. 

Glowing comments about the history program from alumni and the practicality of already living within commuting distance quickly helped seal the deal.

Are you where you thought you'd be when you first came to campus?

I wasn¡¯t certain where I thought I would end up when I came to campus. I knew I had always loved my history and social studies classes, but I wasn¡¯t sure how I wanted to make a career of it, or if I did at all. 

Working in Special Collections especially has given me greater certainty about aiming for a career in libraries and archives.

Who helped you get to where you are now?

My parents, certainly, for supporting me and my education, and my friends for keeping me sane through all of it.

At Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø, Dr. Kaul was my first cheerleader when I was still finding my footing, and I am so grateful for his support.

The entire history department, too, has been a major source of learning and inspiration: Dr. Simonsen, Dr. Leech and Dr. Calder especially have been instrumental to developing my ability to conduct historical research. I similarly credit Dr. Brown with developing my sociological understanding. 

And, of course, many thanks to Micaela Terronez and everyone at Special Collections for hiring me and supporting me as I plan for my future beyond Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø.

Peak experience?

The opportunity to develop an exhibit for Special Collections and contributing to the Pride in Memory project have both been really special experiences.

What surprised you?

I was pleasantly surprised by how nice the smaller class sizes have been. I hadn¡¯t realized how much I prefer that experience until I had it here.

What will you miss the most?

The community. Even without living on campus, having that connection to other people and knowing there's almost always something going on has been nice.

Advice for the Class of 2029?

This goes for anyone, but especially for other transfer and commuter students: Don¡¯t put off getting involved on campus. It might take more time and effort than it does for many of your peers, but it¡¯s worth it to make those connections.