Grace A. Ragosa

Hometown: Millstone Township, New Jersey
Education Background: B.A. History, Lafayette College

How did you get interested in your field?
I have always been obsessed with history, but my passion for preserving it began when my seventh grade Social Studies teacher, Mr. Williams spent three days telling us the story of President Lincoln’s assassination as if it were a biographical drama. The story ended abruptly when Mr. Williams told the class that the barn John Wilkes Booth was killed in was demolished to make way for a highway, and all there is left is a commemorative sign in the median that cannot be seen. Mr. Williams' words translated as a call-to-action for me as I questioned “how could people demolish the place where a renowned actor and assassin took his last breath after this brutal chase that changed history forever?” Since I was 12 years old, I felt that I had a responsibility to the world to help protect resources that are worth having a legacy and push back against those who want to erase those legacies.

What was your background prior to coming to Penn?
After graduating from undergrad with a history degree, I worked as an assistant architectural historian at a cultural resources management and consulting firm in Trenton, New Jersey. I was involved in helping with research and document resources for National Register Nominations, interpretive and preservation plans, H.A.E.R/H.A.L.S/H.A.B.S, as well as assisting archaeologists with cemetery documentation. Working there helped me to see how the present treatment of a site, based on its integrity, gave insight into its past uses and how the future could affect it. I always knew I would go to graduate school, but it was this work experience that pushed me to apply.

Why did you choose Penn?
At my prior job, I worked closely with recent graduates from the program. Their education in historic preservation from UPenn made them experimental thinkers and strongly in-tune with a subject and their interaction with the built environment. Their comprehensive education continued in the workplace and encouraged me to crave a type of learning like theirs to pursue a life-long career in historic preservation. When I attended open houses and information sessions for Weitzman, it revolved so much around what was going on outside of the classroom and different ways students are encouraged to push boundaries on current thought. I was exposed to interdisciplinary research centers and projects that naturally encourage open dialogues and provide students with a holistic overview of topics within historic preservation. For me, choosing Penn became an obvious choice.

What has been your favorite class so far?
I know it might sound cheesy, but truthfully, I am enjoying every class I am taking so far. Every day I have been learning something new! The professors have been pushing me to think deeply about the subjects we are studying, and they are so encouraging to their students. They all want to help and work with you to achieve your goals.

What are you learning right now that will help you in the future?
I truly do learn something new every day, but I really have been learning from my classmates. My cohort is half domestic students and half international students, so I have been taking advantage of learning about everybody’s experiences from back home and the way they view preservation. All my peers bring a different viewpoint and skill to the table that I can learn from.

What do you like best about Philadelphia?
As someone who grew up always traveling to New York City, Philadelphia is a weird city. It has both the typical “city vibe,” yet you can take a 2-minute train ride and be somewhere that looks like a typical suburb. I like how close and easily accessible different neighborhoods are for me to explore. Because of this, the field work and research required for my classes allows me to gain experience in every environment!

What kinds of activities and/or organizations are you involved in?
I am currently one of the first-year representatives for P.R.E.S.T.A and I hope to be a part of a collaborative program between the Weitzman and Wharton schools. I am looking forward to seeing what other preservation initiatives I can be a part of!

What are your career ambitions?
Since being here at UPenn, I have been exposed to so many more career avenues within historic preservation that I never knew existed! As I look for a specific avenue to go down, my overall career ambitions are to help foster community development, while simultaneously helping businesses thrive through preservation work.