Catawba Alumnus Brings History Alive for Rowan County
Photo Credit: Leslie Denton
By Leslie Denton
March 10, 2010
Filed under Alumni, Spotlights
“When I think back on my days at Catawba, I always remember how I loved being outside in the springtime, especially with all the cherry blossoms blooming.” This is one of the many memories that alumnus Tricia Creel has of her college experience. Tricia, now 28, was a 2004 graduate from Catawba. She was a member of Alpha Chi Honor Society and graduated Summa Cum Laude.
Tricia Creel, a history major, currently works as the Education Coordinator at the Rowan Museum. Due to the fact that the museum is a small non-profit organization with few full-time employees, Creel’s position includes a diversity of responsibilities. However, her main focus is handling school tours, summer history camps, and teacher workshops. She also helps set up exhibits, update the museum’s website, and put together a newsletter.Along with memories of the beautiful campus, Creel also has fun memories of classroom activities. She recalls how Dr. Freeze’s class on the South used to visit old sights around town. At one building in particular, Tricia (who is 4’9″) was the only one who could not see in the window. She says, “So one of the guys in the class just reached over and picked me up with one arm so I could see in the window.” The class had a fun time joking around about her being the “kid” in the group.
These classes and experiences, along with the professors, are the reasons Tricia Creel appreciated Catawba. Her favorite professors were Dr. Freeze and Dr. McAllister. According to Creel, “They brought history alive for me and helped open the door for me to obtain the career I have today.”
Creel believes that Catawba College helped her adequately prepare for the position she has today. “[Catawba] gave me new experiences, and at my job I have to be flexible and not be afraid to try new things. My professors were so encouraging and instilled in me a confidence to step out of my comfort zone try new things even if I failed at first.” Catawba also helped her with public-speaking skills which is something that her job requires constantly.
Tricia Creel is now married, has two children, and continues to live here in Salisbury. She has brought her love of history from Catawba to her position at the Rowan Museum. She says her favorite part of her job is the feedback she receives from kids throughout the county. “I love it when they run up to me in public and tell me how much they loved history camp and love history because they came to the Museum.”
“Catawba’s professors made history come alive for me and I want to do the same for others.”
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