Saturday, July 27, 2024
The History Department at Texas State University recently featured Allison Hopson in their History Department Alumna Student Spotlight. Hopson is a 2018 graduate of Gatesville High School and is the daughter of Billy and Carol Hopson of Turnersville.
Hopson said that her interest in history began after taking World History in sixth grade with Charles McKamie as her teacher. “He taught about Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and Ancient China, and it broadened my understanding of history. More specifically, from his class, I became very interested in archeology,” she said.
She explained, “I had not considered a career in either archeology or history until I took History 1310 and 1320 Dual Credit during my junior year with Jeannie Schlicke-Collins. I loved the class and how Mrs. Collins taught – it was as though it was effortless to her, and that she knew everything about history. I quickly decided I wanted to study history and become as knowledgeable as her.”
Allison Hopson earned her bachelor’s degree from Texas State University in December 2021, majoring in History and minoring in Anthropology and English. She then returned to Texas State in the fall of 2022 to pursue an MA in Public History and graduated in May 2024. Before returning to pursue a master's degree, she interned at the Texas Historical Commission under State Archeologist Brad Jones.
As an intern, Hopson said, “I was very happy to have had the opportunity to network with some of my peers and practice the archeology and collections management side of my career aspirations. While I immensely enjoyed my time with The Texas Historical Commission, I decided I wanted to pursue a more interpretive and public-facing career.”
While at THC, she studied collections management and archeological research—accessioning ceramics from the Fort Saint Louis archeological site in Victoria County. This intern experience with the THC brought Hopson into contact with like-minded professionals and expanded her interests in Public History. “I really enjoyed working on that project. It was interesting to learn about the different types of ceramic paste, paint, slips, and which technique indicates which culture the piece originated from,” she said.
Upon beginning graduate school, Hopson received the Texas State University Graduate Merit Fellowship, and for the 2023-2024 academic year was chosen to receive the Brunson Family Endowed Scholarship. She is a member of the Phi Alpha Theta history organization and honor societies Phi Kappa Phi and Alpha Chi. Additionally, she is a member of professional organizations such as the National Council on Public History and the American Alliance of Museums.
Hopson also assisted in establishing the Dunbar Oral History Project in 2023 for the historic Dunbar Neighborhood of San Marcos, documenting the community’s history and lived experiences. Her commitment to the Dunbar community has continued through 2024, and she plans to continue working on the project indefinitely.
Hopson’s interests lie in museum studies, and she hopes to work as a museum curator in the future, the perfect career where she can combine her passion for historical inquiry, artifacts, and design. In terms of historical interests, she has found herself interested and passionate about several fields, including women’s history, local and community history, French history, and Indigenous histories—all of which she hopes she can one day integrate into her museum work.
“The design aspect of an exhibit draws visitors, and I’m very interested in how best to catch people’s attention. Another aspect of museum curation is that it combines history and archeology,” she said. Both of which are great passions of Allison Hopson.
