Allison Kelley has been drawn to protecting the past since childhood. She will graduate with a degree in historic preservation from Southeast Missouri State University this summer and continue on to graduate school at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

"It's really fascinating to learn about what people before you chose to do in their lives and the things that they invented," Kelley said. "Growing up, I had always loved the plantation houses in the south and saving them was what I wanted to do with my life. Of course, plans have changed slightly over time because now I want to work in a museum instead, but there was something about getting to preserve history that appealed to me on a level that nothing else had."

Kelley has traveled to many parts of the world during the last several years. For her 21st birthday she took a cruise to Spain, France, Monaco and Italy with her mother and aunt. She said her favorite part of the trip was visiting Florence, Rome and Pompeii.

In early March, Kelley presented the Ancient Egyptian Death and Afterlife Exhibit at Kent Library for her academic distinction project and senior honors project. The exhibit explained the process of mummification and the preparation of the deceased for the afterlife through a series of photographs, relics and text. Mummification, amulets and spells, the tomb, the afterlife and gods were all important aspects of the process.

"For as long as I can remember I've always been drawn to ancient Egypt," Kelley said. "There's something so thrilling about their society and the lengths that they went to for their religion and to appease their gods. Plus, it was the one topic that I actually had items I could use for the exhibit."

Kelley said that putting this project together was one of the most difficult tasks of her college career. She spent three months researching and another two designing and putting the finishing touches on her exhibit.

When Kelley isn't traveling or doing schoolwork she enjoys her rare downtime. She plays video games, reads books, hangs out with friends and goes home to spend time with her family in East Prairie.

Kelley will participate in commencement in May but will graduate in August after an internship. Over the summer, she plans to visit Mexico to see the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza. She has been accepted into George Mason University in Virginia to pursue a Master of Arts in history of decorative arts through a program that is taught at the Smithsonian Institution.

"I would love to spend my life traveling and getting to preserve history," Kelley said. "I'd also love to have a job overseas because, while the United States is wonderful, ancient history is my interest, and you can only get that overseas. Working for the Smithsonian would be my absolute dream job. It's a wonderful institution and it has so much to offer the world as far as history and education goes."