Reviewed by: Lisa Battles
How this history buff landed his dream job in Huntsville
Reading time: 5 minutes
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A year ago, Alex wasn’t able to walk, but now he’s helping set up giant engines in the middle of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.
Read on to learn more about his incredible story and how the ideal graduate program helped him land his dream job.
Watch Alex’s story 👇
Meet Alex
Originally from Memphis, Alex moved to the Huntsville area in 2022 after he landed his job as an Exhibit Tech I at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center (USSRC).
He wasn’t a stranger to the Rocket City for long, quickly finding all of his favorite spots and activities—like Monte Sano for hikes, Back Forty for brews and Maggie Myers for karaoke nights.
This history buff also considers himself a “hobby person” and enjoys playing Dungeons and Dragons, watching movies and reading.
However, one of his longtime hobbies, golf, recently got put on the back burner after an unexpected medical situation arose.
“Last year, I was diagnosed with a tumor in my spine. By the end of the year, I pretty much lost the ability to walk.
In December, I had surgery, and they were able to remove the tumor.
I’m pretty much back to walking again. I’m so stoked about it. If I had tap dancing shoes, I’d be showing everybody.”
Alex Watson, Exhibit Tech I, U.S. Space & Rocket Center
Thankfully, the USSRC was very accommodating during Alex’s medical emergency, but to to that point, we need to turn a few pages back in Alex’s history book.
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Becoming enamored with the past
Although Alex had always been drawn to history, the year 2019 was formative for him.
That year, he had the opportunity of a lifetime to travel to Macedonia to dig Roman ruins. After he came back from the trip, he knew he had to keep the momentum going—even in the midst of COVID-19 chaos.
He began the search for the ideal graduate program. He wanted to find an institution that would challenge him and provide hands-on opportunities, similar to the work he did in Macedonia.
His answer lied in Florence—and we’re not talking about Italy.
Enter The University of North Alabama’s Master of History with a Public History concentration, a program that combined both the past and present, showed the impact of history on real-life events today and led to his dream job at the USSRC.
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Thriving in UNAs’s hands-on master’s program
What could top digging up ancient ruins in Macedonia? If you ask Alex, it’s UNA’s Master’s of History with a Public History concentration. Here are several of his favorite parts about the program:
- Getting access to local historical records and updating archives
- The opportunity to choose unique thesis topics (Alex’s was on Native American mounds)
- Receiving the support he needed, like being paired with an undergrad software engineer who did the coding for his thesis project
- Working with different departments across UNA + The Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area
- Traveling to nearby towns like Mooresville for projects
When reflecting on his graduate program at UNA, Alex knows he made the right choice. The program had the best of both worlds. It was in-person and online; hands-on and flexible.
“I never felt like I was in a class online that was subpar compared to any in-person class. The professors were all very helpful.”
Alex Watson, Exhibit Tech I, U.S. Space & Rocket Center
The best part about it all? It helped him get to where he is today, doing a job he loves every day.
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Landing his dream job at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center
If it wasn’t for UNA, Alex wouldn’t be at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.
While he was still in the graduate program, a professor helped him get an internship at the USSRC. One thing led to another, and soon he was adding “Exhibit Tech I” to his LinkedIn profile.
During a typical week, you can find him strategizing where to place exhibits, setting them up and making sure all signage is correct. He’s grateful his master’s program at UNA helped prepare him for his role.
“My master’s degree prepared me to ensure these exhibits are displayed in a respectful and efficient way.
Without this degree from UNA, I would not have this opportunity at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, and I wouldn’t be able to communicate so well with the people and institutions we work with regularly.”
Alex Watson, Exhibit Tech I, U.S. Space & Rocket Center
Ready to get the skills you need to thrive in your dream job? Explore UNA’s online and in-person master’s programs.
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