INSPIRING OTHERS THROUGH HISTORY

Native Virginians andthose who are students in the commonwealth are surrounded by history. In everyday life, it can be easy for historic landmarks to be taken for granted. The Thomas Jefferson Foundation is on a mission: to preserve and educate; and Dianne Swan-Wright ('91M), the foundation's director of special programs, is a part of the team working to inspire others through history.

The foundation secured Monticello,the home designed and lived in by Thomas Jefferson, in 1923. At the time, government  agencies had passed on the opportunity of acquiring the house because of lack of interest. Swan-Wright sums up the importance of the third president's property: "Monticello is in Jefferson's essays, reflects his creativity, and shows that he had many other interests." Each year, the home attracts half a million visitors who learn about the famous owner and others who lived there.

Swan-Wright's multifaceted job combines her two passions -- history and writing. "I've always been interested in writing. History and writing tug at me," she says. "I can't pick a favorite." The president of her high school's chapter of Future Teachers of America, Swan-Wright grew up thinking she would teach. At the time, she "didn't know historians in museums existed."

As director of special programs, she researches and writes about the lives of the approximately 600 slaves who lived in the Charlottesville area during Jefferson's lifetime. She also trains interpreters on how to properly share the foundation's research and work with the public. One of the most exciting aspects of her job is traveling and interviewing the descendants of area slaves. "It's fascinating to see the history of families and how they've moved forward in time," says Swan-Wright, "At the same time, it's amazing to see what values did not change."

Monticello's existing written and oral resources allow Swan-Wright to do work that fascinates her -- "studying people and understanding their lives." She is also involved with Getting Word: The Monticello Oral History Project, where she helps research, develop and conduct oral history reviews and co-edits a newsletter. Swan-Wright also works as a museum consultant advising staffs on how to best present ideas to the public. "This is my dream job," she says. "If I was told to design a job for myself, this would be it."

-- Melinda Marcelo ('04)