Diego Benites '25

Diego Benites ‘25 | Honors History and American Studies major, Gender Studies minor  

As a student, Diego Benites ’25 spent plenty of time researching. A former Honors Program Research Fellow, the History and American Studies major and Gender Studies minor teamed with Professor Andrew Moore to study the origins of Massachusetts’ Lowell National Historical Park and learn how it impacts the way the park interprets history today. Benites also earned the Fr. Bernard Holmes, O.S.B., Scholarship during his senior year and received the Fulbright Grant after graduating. After completing his work with the Fulbright Grant, Benites plans to earn a Ph.D. in history or American studies.

Did you participate in any internships as a student?

Yes, I was in charge of creating interpretive talks for visitors in the Boott Cotton Mills Museum at Lowell National Historical Park. I operated the visitor service desk at both the visitor center and the Boott Museum. I worked the floor for their Mill Girls exhibit, which recreated what a boarding house looked like in the 1840s. 

You also conducted research at the Lowell National Historical Park. What did you study?

I looked at factors why the leaders of Lowell, federal politicians, and the National Park Service decided to create a national park there to begin with. From there, I looked at some of the decisions that they made when they created the park. Was it based on public interest? Was it for cultural benefit, economic benefit, or just historical preservation? How did those factors impact the way they interpret history today?

How did their interpretation of history evolve over the years?

Back in the 1970s and 1980s, public history was generally more object driven—like finding a historical artifact and explaining what it did. Nowadays, it involves asking more questions and encouraging visitors to think critically about a topic. Visitors can share their thoughts on how something impacts their life and think about their role within modern society because of what happened in the past. 

What is the role of public historians at a park like this? 

There’s a question about whether public historians are facilitators or communicators of history. Academics set the record straight when it comes to historical research, but we’re asking ourselves questions like if it’s the public historian’s job to give the complete story and history to their visitors or if it’s the visitors’ responsibility to spark an interest in the history.  

Was there anything you experienced while researching that you didn‘t anticipate?

While conducting research, the park opened an exhibit called “One City, Many Cultures” which was a very different approach to public history interpretations, in a good way. The exhibit considered a lot of ideas and things that were becoming more apparent in our political zeitgeist after prominent events like the Black Lives Matter movement and COVID-19 pandemic. A bunch of community groups —Cambodians, Native Americans, Latinos— from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell History Department worked with museum personnel and representatives to create this exhibit in a very collaborative manner. 

How was your experience participating in research through the Honors Program Research Fellowship?

I know a lot of other colleges don't really have research opportunities like Saint Anselm does, especially within the humanities. Many research grants are mostly based in the sciences, so being able to do humanities research as an undergraduate student was incredible. It was something that I could put on my resume. When I applied to graduate school, I think that it made me a pretty competitive applicant.

Why advocate for the humanities? 

I believe people think of the world in black and white too much, and they don’t really explore nuances and gray areas. Because of that, I can see a lot of binaries popping up within our society — like Democrat, Republican — or some other binaries, like male/female, rich/poor, etc. Exploring ideas through a humanities lens allows you to think about the different shades. You don’t have to fit into one or the other, it’s not just so absolute. 

What did earning the Fr. Bernard Holmes, O.S.B., Scholarship mean to you?

Frankly, I was pretty shocked to be even nominated. Growing up, I faced numerous challenges that made school really difficult for me. I couldn't write until I was in high school, read until I was in middle school, and speak until I was seven years old. When I was young, my parents were told by numerous people to set their expectations low. Thankfully, my parents chose to ignore their advice and pushed me to be the best that I could be. I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for them.

Thanks to the Fulbright Grant, you currently work in Spain as an English teaching assistant. How did you choose this?

I thought it would be a great way for me to improve my Spanish while gaining and refining my pedagogical skills for a career in public history. On a personal note, my family in Peruvian and Spanish, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to reconnect with my cultural roots.