Emma Davis, a history major and presidential scholar at Florida State University, led a team of undergraduates to curate the exhibition: “Women at War: At Home and In Service,” under the direction of G. Kurt Piehler, Director of the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience.  Ms. Davis and Professor Piehler co-authored the introductory essay for the exhibit. 

Emma Davis (ED) explained why and how she fell in love with history.

1) Why did you choose History as one of your majors?

ED: I’ve always been really interested in history and loved studying it in school. When I was in high school, I began writing historical fiction, and I quickly realized that the substantive research that went into my writing was actually my favorite part of the process!

2) What do you like about doing history?

ED: There are so many reasons why I love being a history major! It’s so interesting to me to see how people lived in the past, and how events that happened decades or centuries ago are still impacting the world today. I also love the opportunities I have for research, internships, and other experiences that have helped me understand what I can do with a degree in history. My work at the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience is just one such example.

3) What are your plans for the future?

ED: After I graduate, I hope to attend graduate school in museum studies or public history, and work for a museum developing exhibits and public programs.

"Women at War: At Home and In Service" can be viewed online at

ww2.fsu.edu/collections/women-war-home-and-service-world-war-ii