Jacob Wagner credits his grandfather for turning him into a lover of history. As a child, he spent hours with him wandering through museums and conversing about historical events and people.
Over time, Jacob came to see history not just as a record of what’s gone, but as a powerful lens for understanding the present.
Now a senior at Ohio Northern University, majoring in history and social studies with minors in public history and museum studies, public policy, and political science, Jacob plans to teach history at the high school level. He wants to make the past come alive for his students.
“People aren’t as connected or aware of how history has shaped the world around them,” he said. “I want to remedy this by making history fun again. Education is the perfect avenue to make a difference.”
Jacob has already put his mission into action. He’s logged over 100 field hours in local classrooms, and worked as a substitute teacher and summer school teacher for Ada Local Schools. This spring, he’ll complete his student teaching, his last step before graduating.
Beyond the classroom, he’s engaged in impactful internships at the Allen County Historical Museum and the Hardin County Historical Museum.
One highlight was helping organize a World War II reenactment this past summer, in collaboration with Jennifer Ulmer, BA ’23, director of the Hardin County Historical Museum. For a World War II enthusiast and reenactor, it was a dream come true.
But what meant even more was the support he received from his ONU professors.
“When they all showed up to support me at the event, that felt incredibly special,” he said. “Some of them drove long distances to check out something a student helped put on.”
Jacob says the mentorship and encouragement he’s received at ONU has shaped him as much as the academics.
“My professors make class an adventure day in and day out,” he said. “They’ve been great motivators.”