Hello,My Name is Deb Wold!
Who I Am:
Hi! My name is Deb Wold. I am in the process of obtaining my Masters of Arts in History at University of West Georgia. I am in the Public History track and will receive a certificate in Museum Studies when I graduate. My background is in Anthropology, Archaeology, and a little bit of medicine. My interests include American History (especially Colonial) and American West, Golden Age of Piracy, Food History, and Tudor England. My passion is to study history through the eyes of everyday people by the means of foodways, health, disease, medicine and possibly osteology. The body is an amazing source of information.
Eventually, I plan to work with artifacts in a museum, participate in public learning programs, excavate during the summer, and teach specialized classes at the college level.
However, my dream is to become the go-to person for historic sites, homes, and museums to start historic foodways programs for their own institution.
More About Me:
History has been a very important part of my life as long as I can remember. My love of history started out young. I enjoyed exploring Oregon History through the eyes of Pioneers and the Overland Trails, reading historical fiction and children adventure archaeology novels, and going to historic sites. As I grew, I discovered that history was more than dates and events. Rather, history can be about people who lived and their experiences, and culture. A poignant time was during the Fourth of July celebrations when David McCullough's John Adams aired as a miniseries. Personally, I felt like as a nation we have forgotten the extraordinary danger our forefathers experienced. Around the same time, I was driving the Idaho portion of the Oregon Trail when we were hit by an unexpected rainstorm. The car became stuck. Instead of panicking about the situation, I began to wonder if this something similar the pioneers experienced. This is when I realized what I wanted to do with my life: find a way to turn my passion for history into a practical career. I want to remind the public the importance of the past.
My Health:
Medical History Overview:
- Born with Bartter Syndrome
- More Information HERE
- Diagnosed with Bartter Syndrome between 1.5 and 2 years of age
- Diagnosis was provide with the aide of German medical journals
- Only the 7th known child in America to be born with Bartter Syndrome
- Knew a transplant would be needed
- Projected to be needed in my mid-30s
- In 2009, I received my transplant from a live donor, my cousin, at 25 years of age
What I’ve Done Thanks to my First Transplant
My first transplant has allowed me many opportunities. I have been able to:
- Complete my Bachelors of Arts in Anthropology major with History and Archaeology minors
- Receive a Senior Award in Field Work
- Completed archaeology field school at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello
- Receive two phenomenol internships:
- The Mammoth Site in Hot Springs, South Dakota
- Vertebrate Paleontology Department for the Natural History Museum of LA County
- Visit a friend in Honduras
- Meet my life partner of the past 7 years (feels like 20 years)
- Became a cat mom to Bama Cat (after losing one kitten prior to and one after my transplant)
- Moved across the country to pursue my Masters degree at the University of West Georgia in the Public History program with a history of food research focus with a Graduate Research Assistantship at the Antonio J. Waring, Jr. Archaeological Laboratory
Current Happenings
Continuing to pursue my Masters degree at the University of West Georgia in the Public History Program with a history of food research focus.
Received the Daniel and Arden Williams Scholarship from my graduate program.
A Graduate Research Assistantship at the Atlanta History Center working on inventory and collection management.
An internship at the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta. I am learning the ropes of collection manager.
Became a cat mom to Grey.
The Places I Will Go With The New Lease on Life
Graduate my Masters program in Fall 2024
Meet my two grand-nieces.
Meet my grand-nephew.
Try new foods.
Travel the world.
Build my museum career.
Grow old together with my significant other.
How I Will Continue to Grow
“My dream is to become the go-to person for historic sites, homes, and museums to start historic foodways programs for their own institution.”
-Deb Wold
“Eventually, I plan to work with artifacts in a museum, participate in public learning programs, excavate during the summer, work in an archaeology laboratory, and teach specialized classes at the college level.”
-Deb Wold
What It’s Like to Give Someone a Second Chance
“I think to have the person talk it over with their primary physician, whoever provides their health insurance, think about any goals they have (like if they want to become pregnant or take up skiing) and evaluate their own healthcare habits like do they drink water, eat healthy, etc“
- - Staci, Previous Donor, Deb’s Cousin
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