Five Questions with Tom Begley '12

In the stillness of the Stonehill Archives, Tom Begley ’12 first felt the weight of history—literally—in his hands. His time as a student archival assistant, poring over photographs and documents from the College’s past, was a natural extension of curiosity that has been building since childhood—a love of biographies, historical fiction and exposing the threads linking then and now.

Initially drawn to Stonehill’s close-knit community and small classes, Begley fell in love with the way the past and present converged in every corner of campus, a rich legacy he explored as part of his work in the Archives. From the careful handling of original materials to developing stronger research methods, his experience digging through acres of history on the Hill gave him invaluable skills that helped him climb the ladder from intern to executive director at Plimoth Patuxet Museums.

In five questions, Begley shares how Stonehill shaped his leadership style, deepened his approach to public history and fueled the passion for storytelling that drives his work today.

You majored in history and minored in political science at Stonehill. What drew you to those areas of study, and how did they shape the way you think about your work at Plimoth Patuxet Museums today?

Political science began as an area of interest and seemed like a path I should take. But as I delved into more in-depth historical study through my courses, I realized that history was the direction I wanted to pursue.

When I met people and shared that I was a history major, I was often asked if I wanted to be a writer or a teacher. I honestly didn’t want to do either, but I knew I loved history. I combined my interests into my senior thesis, studying Plymouth Colony governor William Bradford’s role in diplomacy with the various Indigenous communities of 17th-century New England. That decision led me to Plimoth Patuxet Museums for research, an internship and now, more than a decade later, a career as a public historian.

The combination of political science and history illuminated an important truth: the past is nuanced. It’s in our nature to want things clear-cut, but history is rarely that simple—it’s often gray. Thanksgiving is a great example. To truly understand the origins of the holiday, we need to consider the context of the 1621 harvest feast, known as the First Thanksgiving. It isn’t as straightforward as textbooks sometimes make it seem.

My time at Stonehill encouraged me to question the past, think critically about the facts presented and dig deeply to uncover the nuance that makes history so compelling to study. There were a few key professors in my time at Stonehill that helped me along the way in this discovery: Professors Edward McCarron (History), John Rodrigue (History), Anthony Celano (Philosophy) and Rev. Richard Gribble, C.S.C. (Religious Studies).

Your time in the Stonehill Archives as an archival assistant offered a front-row seat to the College’s history. What lasting lessons did you take from that experience—and is there a part of Stonehill’s story that especially resonated with you?

The lesson that has resonated with me the most first struck me during a campus tour when I saw the display case of shovels: even the smallest or seemingly simplest ideas can change history. The Ames Company developed a shovel design that launched an industrial dynasty, providing tools for countless national projects. Their success allowed them to build sprawling estates—one of which eventually became the home of Stonehill College.