Dr. Michelle Magalong, AAST Affiliate, Welcomed as UMD Historic Preservation Program's First Woman of Color Assistant Professor

On February 27, 2022, AAST affiliate faculty, Dr. Michelle Magalong, was featured in The Diamondback article titled, “UMD historic preservation program welcomes first woman of color as assistant professor".

When Magalong came to this university, it was to continue her work studying sites for preservation with a focus on underserved communities. At the University of California, Los Angeles, where she received her doctorate degree in urban planning, she focused on developing the National Park Service’s Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Initiative. 

At this university, she led a two-day symposium, taught classes about historic preservation and helped students nominate sites to the National Register of Historic Places. 

Magalong is currently working with her students on an Asian American history project in Washington, D.C., where she said they get to dive right into the work. With the project, students will get to nominate landmarks to the National Register.

Last spring, Magalong taught a course where a student wrote about the history of the Manila House in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood in Washington, D.C.. The house was a community space for Filipino-Americans and let them share their culture in the city. It was a popular space during the 1930s until the 1950s. She thought that it would be a great nomination. 

Magalong was able to connect her students to fast-track the nominations, which is an opportunity students don’t get. She said the door needs to be opened for students.

“There’s so much work to be done here in Maryland and Washington, D.C.,” she said. “I’m excited because the opportunities are endless.”

Read the full article.