Emma Diehl is a Senior Architectural Historian

Emma Diehl
Senior Architectural Historian
A.D. Marble & Company

“Do you want to teach or become a lawyer?” That was usually the question that followed my answer of “history” when asked what my major was when I started at Penn State in the fall of 1999. After being exposed to the diversity of history course offerings at Penn State, my immediate reply soon became “No.” Over a decade later, I attribute my success, and most importantly my happiness, in my career path to the experiences and guidance I received at Penn State. Penn State offered me the flexibility to adapt the history major to support my own interests. From exploring Modern Eastern Asia without leaving the Sackett Building, to researching old houses in Boalsburg, to spending a semester abroad at the University of Aberystwyth in Wales, Penn State afforded me experiences and skills that I continue to draw from on a regular basis. It was while attending Dr. McMurry’s History 302W class that I realized there was a profession seemingly tailored just for me. Through historic preservation, I could combine my love of history, particularly historic architecture, with my passion for protecting and preserving a written memory of particular buildings or landscapes. My history degree from Penn State gave me a solid foundation upon which to build a successful professional career. Since graduating from Penn State in May 2003, I received my MA in Historic Preservation, and since August 2005, I am gainfully and happily employed by A.D. Marble & Company, a Pennsylvania-based environmental and cultural resources management firm. In my current position as a senior architectural historian, I have the unique opportunity to research and record the built environment across the country. From bridges to barns, from railroads to rowhouses, and from monuments to mile markers, my degree has allowed me to visit our historic past one brick at a time.