Margarete Maneker

What made you want to come to Lewis & Clark?

I fell in love with the campus and the city of Portland when I visited, and I had a feeling that I’d find like-minded people on campus.

What have you been doing since graduation?

I’ve been working in the art world in New York City. I hope to work as a registrar in the future, and/or to get a master’s degree in library science and archival studies.

How did Lewis & Clark prepare you for your job?

I was incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to work a myriad of jobs at Watzek that provided opportunities for me to get hands-on experience in research, archiving, and library sciences. I also conducted undergraduate historical research, leading a team of my peers in an independent study guided by Professor Maureen Healy. While I was interning at Phillips, I spent a lot of time researching artworks coming to auction at the Thomas J. Watson library at the Metropolitan Museum. Now that I’m working in a gallery, I’ve worked on exhibition preparation writing about an exhibiting artist’s oeuvre, as well as the historical context and art historical
merit. There’s a lot of behind the scenes work in the field that appeals to me, from conservation and inspections to data analysis and tracking. I found a real appreciation for detail-oriented work that allows me to delve into one topic and amass a lot of knowledge through my work-study positions and the research classes I took.

What would you say is the most important thing you learned at Lewis & Clark?

I learned how to write, read, and think! Learning how to convey my thoughts clearly and accurately continues to be invaluable.

Why did you major in history?

I majored in history because the department was full of passionate, engaged students, and it was pretty tight-knit. A lot of the students that I took my initial history courses with were in my thesis class, and it was such a joy to learn and grow alongside them over the years. I also had amazing professors who challenged me to think about history from lots of different perspectives.

Why did you minor in Chinese?

I started studying Mandarin in middle school and just never stopped! It was important to me to continue honing my language skills, especially when said language is particularly difficult for English speakers and has differing written and spoken components.

How do you stay connected to Lewis & Clark as an alum?

I’m still in touch with a lot of friends that I met in undergrad, but I haven’t participated in any alumni events as of yet.

What was your favorite class? How did it expand your knowledge?

It’s hard to choose just one! I took Renaissance Medicine with Hannah Crummé my senior year and I really enjoyed the multidisciplinary approach to a fascinating topic that straddles history, literature, science and belief. I loved learning about medieval and early modern approaches to health and healing.

Where did you find your community on campus?

I made lots of friends through College Outdoors excursions as well as by acting in some of the theater department productions. Though I never took a class, participating in students’ theses and directing scenes productions was creatively fulfilling and allowed for lots of play and experimentation. I also met one of my best friends in my freshman seminar class, back when it was called Exploration and Discovery. We’re still really close and live in the same city.

Who was your mentor on campus? Why do you consider this person your mentor?

Professor Nancy O. Gallman and Professor Reiko Hillyer were both instrumental in encouraging me to pursue my passions, both in historiography and in life. Their dedication and enthusiasm for their respective areas of expertise is contagious. I’ve always appreciated their approach to learning: they prompt their students to ask questions and try to answer them on their own, puzzling through the reasons and material conditions that lead to historical events or issues. I had many conversations with both of them where I would leave with a new perspective on a topic that I was writing about, a side of the argument or analysis that I hadn’t previously considered. I’m really grateful that they both saw my excitement and encouraged me to pursue
my interests, guiding me towards internships, fields of study, and potential career paths that they thought would be a good fit for me. It’s really difficult to put into words how transformative it was to be in the classroom with such brilliant, well-spoken, and intelligent women.