Can you envision yourself in our 11th cohort? The Columbia University Oral History Masters Program community is over 115 oral historians strong and growing! We're even offering two $10,000 Future Voices Fellowships to admitted students next year.
Please join us for an Oral History M.A. program open house on Thursday, November 16, 2017 at 6:30 p.m. in Knox Hall 509. Refreshments will be served.
OHMA OPEN HOUSE
- Information session
- Learn about our Future Voices Fellowship
- Meet OHMA students and alums
- Presentation by Alumnus (TBA)
- Mini-interviewing workshop, taught by OHMA Co-Directors Mary Marshall Clark & Amy Starecheski
OHMA is the first program of its kind: a one-year interdisciplinary Master of Arts degree training students in oral history method and theory. Our graduates work in museums, historical societies, advocacy organizations, media, the arts, education, human rights, and development. OHMA is also excellent preparation for doctoral work in fields like anthropology, history, journalism, and American studies or professional degrees in law, education, or social work.
Jointly run by the Columbia Center for Oral History Research, one of the preeminent oral history centers in the world, and INCITE, a lively hub for interdisciplinary research in the humanities and social sciences, OHMA connects students with the intellectual resources of a major research university, and with the intimate society of a small cohort of talented students.
During a year at OHMA, students learn the skills of digital audio and video production and editing, digital archiving, oral history project design and interviewing, and both historical and social science analysis. Working with an OHMA faculty member, each student is guided through the process of creating a thesis or capstone project. Past projects have taken the form of academic and creative essays, film and audio documentaries, performances, exhibits, and multimedia websites. OHMA students also have access to elective courses taught anywhere within the University and exclusive oral history internship opportunities.
In this open house, OHMA alumnus Andrew Viñales (2015) will be presenting a portion of his thesis, and will engage with the audience on critical questions related to his work and how OHMA set him up for success in his current career.
Andrew Viñales will be sharing part of his thesis including an audio documentary titled “There’s more to this Religion than what you see in this Basement” based on interviews he conducted with his Lukumí/Santería religious family. The documentary incorporates interviews, personal reflection, historical perspective and ritual music to demonstrate a specific history of the community as lived through his elders and mentors.
Andrew, a Queer Afro-Puerto Rican and Dominican born and raised in the Bronx, is an oral historian and cultural worker. After graduating from OHMA he began coordinating the oral history project at the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College. He is currently a fellow for the Innovative Cultural Advocacy Fellowship with the Caribbean Cultural Center/African Diaspora Institute. His main objective is to use oral history, tradition and social justice frameworks to empower people he identifies with most.
Please review our admissions page for further information and RSVP to our Eventbrite page and Facebook event. We look forward to meeting you in person on November 16!
