This month Andrew Derzay will present – Closer to the Front: The Lives of Waukesha Women in the First World War
Our February 11th, 2025 Lunch and Learn will focus on Waukesha women’s societal roles before, during, and after WWI. Andrew Derzay will discuss how female nurses performed overseas, the assumptions they had to overcome including general conditions of a “typical” workday and training, and most importantly life on the Homefront working “men’s” jobs. The presentation will also focus on how women during this era gained certain rights after the war, touching on themes of suffrage, opposition, and equal rights. “Closer to the Front” may be a familiar title, as it is based on our current exhibit co-curated between Andrew and the museum’s Curator.
Andrew completed his internship with the Waukesha County Historical Society and Museum in the fall of 2023 and continues volunteering with us. He has a Bachelor’s in World History with an emphasis in Public History and a Minor in German, which he attained from UW- La Crosse while working as an intern at the La Crosse County Historical Society. Andrew is currently pursuing his Master’s Degree in History at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, focusing on Public History with a certificate in Museum Studies.