Mielnik gets MTSU’s first history PhD

There are underlying benefits to higher education that some might not realize until graduation. For one MTSU graduate, the added benefit was the happiness and knowledge of being first.

Longtime McMinnville resident Tara Mielnik became the first person to receive a PhD in public history from Middle Tennessee State University on Dec. 15. Although the college has awarded PhD degrees in other areas, this is the first one awarded by the history department.

Locally, Mielnik attended West Elementary, William Biles, Boyd Christian, Northside and Warren County Middle School. She graduated from Warren County High School in 1988 before moving on to college.

‘I’ve always been interested in history,’ said Mielnik. ‘My favorite classes in high school were Dr. Haskell Greer’s American history class and his American government class.’

For the past several weeks, Mielnik has been working with Rachel Killebrew in efforts to preserve the Blue Building. In her opinion, the building can still have life after city hall.

‘In a way, historic preservation is the ultimate in recycling,’ said Mielnik. ‘Reusing historic buildings for day-to-day use is as important, if not more important, than preserving them frozen in time as a museum.’

Take her office in Nashville for example, a 1852 Greek revival house which was modernized to accommodate computer equipment and all the latest amenities while retaining its character and defining historic features.

‘I would hope that could be a goal of McMinnville for the Blue Building,’ said Mielnik. ‘It takes a little more time, and careful planning, but usually the expense of rehabilitating a historic structure for a modern use doesn’t cost appreciably more than the cost of demolition and new construction. And, you gain the historic building.’

Mielnik attended college at the University of the South in Sewanee and then entered the doctoral program in public history at MTSU in 1996. At that time, it was a doctor of arts program and no PhD was offered. She graduated from that program and went to work

When the PhD program in public history at MTSU was created, Mielnik was quick to act. Altogether, it took three years of classes, one year of residency, and six years of research and writing for the dissertation.