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Austin Braksick graduated from ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵ with a major in History and a minor in Entrepreneurship. As someone always passionate about history, Austin loved his time as a history major and focused his capstone research on the increased commercialization of the NCAA since the 1980s—a topic that would become highly relevant just four years later with the birth of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) in college sports.

He is now a Partner at MyNextSeason, a firm that supports the seniormost leaders of 25+ Fortune 200 companies by helping them accelerate leadership skillsets as they prepare to enter the C-suite, excel in current roles, and transition to their “next seasons” post-corporate. Austin leads the firm’s business development and growth efforts, shaping how MyNextSeason engages new clients and expands its impact.

A published author and accomplished communicator, Austin’s earlier career included working for two professional sports franchises—the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Avalanche—before moving into sales leadership at Xactly Corporation.

Austin also has a lifelong passion for faith-based mission work, having served in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Ghana, and Costa Rica. He and his wife, Anna—a fellow Miami graduate and proud “Miami Merger”—reside in Cincinnati, OH with their three young daughters.

Cory D. Brown graduated from ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵ in 2013 with degrees in History and Political Science. While at ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵ, Cory participated in the History Department’s Honors Program. His thesis examined how President Woodrow Wilson, Majority Leader Henry Cabot Lodge (R-MA), and former President William Howard Taft tried to influence the ratification of the Treaty of Versailles and the Covenant of the League of Nations in 1919. Cory was also Chief Justice Pro Tempore of ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵ’s Student Court, Secretary General of Miami’s Model United Nations, and a Member of University Senate. Cory now lives and works in Washington, D.C. for the United States Postal Service as the Senior Government Relations and Public Policy Integration Liaison. Cory has used his history degree to help craft a white paper on the statutory evolution of the Postal Service, wrote and edited portions of the Postal Service’s Publication 100, “The United States Postal Service: An American History,” and contributed to an upcoming book on postal history to commemorate the organization’s 250th Anniversary. 

Heather (Burich) Haught graduated from ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵ in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in History, minoring in Art History and Museums & Society. While at Miami, Heather participated in the History Department’s Honors program, was an Undergraduate Fellow of The John W. Altman Program in the Humanities, and served as a Research Associate for Dr. Kimberly Hamlin. Heather was also Executive Vice President of Panhellenic Association and a Student Ambassador for the College of Arts and Science. 

She went on to earn her Dual Master’s in Art History and Arts Administration & Policy from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago before working in tangible personal property appraisals. Heather now works in Cincinnati, OH at a non-profit arts organization, the Woman’s Art Club of Cincinnati Foundation, where she is Operations Manager and oversees exhibits, classes, community programming, and events. Heather’s history degree provided her foundational skills in interdisciplinary research and contextual analysis, and also prepared her for future professional roles by giving ample opportunities for public speaking and independent learning. 

David Dirr is a partner in DBL Law’s Health Care and Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice groups. He represents hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care and senior living facilities, as well as healthcare professionals throughout Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. David advises clients on a wide array of healthcare-related issues, including Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, appeals to the Provider Reimbursement Review Board, anti-kickback law, the Stark Law, Certificates of Need, licensure, and HIPAA.

In addition, David represents clients in courts and before administrative agencies in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. He has litigated in numerous state and federal courts, including arguing several cases before the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

David volunteers with Working in Neighborhoods, which has a mission to empower people to make informed choices for themselves and their neighborhoods through community building, home ownership, and economic learning. David resides in Cincinnati with his family.

Caroline E. Tapp, Ph.D., is a historian specializing in 20th-century American culture and serves as the Curator of the at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. She earned her PhD in American Studies from the University of Texas at Austin and holds a MA in History and BA in History and Anthropology from ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵ.

Before joining the Smithsonian, Dr. Tapp worked as a public historian for the Naval History and Heritage Command within the Department of Defense. She was the 2021 Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellow at the American Philosophical Society Library and Museum and has held roles in several public institutions and archives, including the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center in Austin, Texas.

Dr. Tapp is a strong advocate for the diverse career paths available to humanities majors and champions the unique skills they contribute to today’s evolving workforce. She’s thrilled to be part of the ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵ History Department Alumni Board and resides in Virginia with her family.

Adam Wakefield (‘15) earned his B.A. with a double major in History & Political Science. During undergrad, he served as President of the Senior Class Gift 2015 and was the ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵ representative to the ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵ Board of Trustees. He was also an active member of the ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵ Student Foundation, serving two years on Steering Committee to promote ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵ-alumni engagement and philanthropy.

After graduation, Adam moved to Southern California, where he has lived since, building a career in the technology sector in sales and sales leadership roles. While not directly working in his fields of study, Adam credits the writing, communications, and critical thinking skills developed in Oxford for his professional success.

Jane Wildermuth is the University Librarian at Wright State University, where she leads strategic planning, library services, and community engagement. With more than 25 years of experience in archives and digital initiatives, she has overseen Wright State’s Special Collections and Archives, developed the CORE Scholar institutional repository, and advanced access to aviation, local, and university history.

Jane has held leadership roles with the Society of Ohio Archivists, OhioLINK, and the National Aviation Historical Alliance, and she is a frequent writer and presenter on archives, digital scholarship, and institutional repositories. Her work has been recognized with the Ohio Academic Library Association Teddy Award and the Society of Ohio Archivists Merit Award.

She holds both a B.A. and M.A. in History from ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵ.

Rachel Wydra is an Assistant Public Defender in DuPage County, IL where she provides high-quality, compassionate, and vigorous legal representation to indigent clients in criminal court. She is a seasoned trial attorney and a passionate advocate for equal justice. She graduated from ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵ in 2018 with a B.A. in History and minors in Music Performance, French, and Latin American Studies. While at ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵ, Rachel was in the History Department’s Honors Program. For her thesis, Ticas Take Charge: Women and Activism in Costa Rica, 1900-1949, Rachel traveled to Costa Rica to conduct archival research at the Archivo Nacional de Costa Rica. Also during her time at ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵ, Rachel studied abroad in France and Costa Rica and was a bassoonist in several musical ensembles. Rachel has a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School with concentrations in Immigration Law and Criminal Justice. Before joining the Public Defender’s Office, Rachel completed a judicial clerkship with the Honorable Tracy M. Smith of the Minnesota Court of Appeals. As an attorney, Rachel uses her history degree everyday, from writing to researching to advocating for her clients in court.