macalester college history department newsletter
History is All Over is a publication released twice a year by the Macalester College History Department, sharing student and faculty news on internships, new classes, study away and research abroad, and also highlights the important work being done by Mac alumni today.
Students in Professor Amy Sullivan's "Uses and Abuses: History of Drugs, Addiction and Recovery in the U.S." received training in use of Narcan for opioid overdoses by Stephanie Devich of Valhalla Place/Meridian Behavioral Health. Twenty-seven kits were handed out to everyone.
Inside this issue Studying History Students Event, Student and Alumni News Fall 2018 Classes History Student Staff History Club
Senior history majors lovingly support classmate Spike Sommers at his spring recital.
Spring 2018
find your place in history
History is All Over
Beginning in February, the Civic Engagement Center organized an opportunity to do archival research at the Minnesota Historical Society. The project involves rehousing St. Cloud Reformatory records from the 20th century. Five students, including Melanie Guardado, Alex Young-Williams, Maisie Rossi, Rena Zhang and McKinley Thompson now take weekly trips on Tuesdays to the History Center to volunteer. The group takes an HourCar over, gets checked in, and sets up their station for working through the records. For the next couple of hours they move the documents for each inmate to a new folder that will be easier to access, marking anything that could be of interest to the center for their social media. During this work, they can also stop to chat about anything interesting or strange they may happen to find in the folders, such as IQ ratings or reasons for committing crimes. There are sometimes items like personal letters written by family members sent to the inmates during their time at the reformatory.
taking on the Study of History story by Maisie Rossi'20
The Study of History course, being taught by Professor Linda Sturtz this Spring, holds the record for most students enrolled, with 24 in total. It is required for all History majors, with most choosing to take the class their Sophomore year. The class is being co-taught by Paul Schadewald, the Associate Director of the Civic Engagement Center. Class assignment are typically reading various books and articles, and presenting in groups on primary sources. Students are creating research proposals that can be used for their senior capstones in their senior years. The course also includes multiple fields trips, such as to the East Side Freedom Library, the Wangensteen library at the University of Minnesota, and the Minnesota History Center. Following these trips, students create blog posts on a primary source that they have discovered. In February and March, the History Department paid for students in several classes, including this one, to see the movie Black Panther, and students walked over to Grandview Theater together. They were to watch the film with the question in mind of how the story demonstrates a counternarrative. Many then attended a March 28th discussion of the movie led by Professors Moten, Sturtz, Pearson, and Gleason.
Students, and parents, often ask where a future with a History major might lead. Answers to that question are far-ranging, and depend quite a bit on the individuals and their interests. If you are looking for the big picture answers, our Career Development Center provides access to this What Can I Do With My History Major? list. You can also visit History's "After Macalester" webpage to see what some of our graduates have reported they are doing now. Our "Jobs and Internships" page has links to sites, on-campus and off, that can help you address your own questions about where studying history can take you. It's a good place to look when you wonder about your future in history. There you will find links to the American Historical Association's "Careers for History Majors" mini guide, and their "What to Do with a BA in History" blog, and more links to multiple organizations that share listings of job, internship, publication, conference, networking, and other opportunities. Of course, our best resource is our professors. Make time to have a conversation with one or more of them to talk about your particular interest in history, and where it could lead.
Where will you go in history?
Volunteering at the Minnesota Historical Society
Honors project faculty advisors joined their advisees in celebrating their success. From left to right: Prof. Katie Phillips, Brian Fox, Emily Nadel, Ernie Jefferson, Prof. Crystal Moten, Mara Steinitz, Greg Zacharia, Prof. Basit Qureshi, Sarah Kolenbrander, and Prof. Linda Sturtz.
JUniors
Junior Samantha Manz, ‘19 was accepted to the Columbia University Summer Research Program (SRP) “The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences hosts the eight- to ten-week Summer Research Program (SRP) for undergraduates with a demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion. Participants conduct graduate-level research under the supervision of a Columbia faculty mentor, approximating the graduate experience through exposure to the mentor/advisee relationship, scholarly research opportunities, and independent living.”
Seniors
Russell Fillmore-Brady has been awarded a Fulbright fellowship to teach English in Germany next year.
Congratulations to all of our graduating seniors.
Congratulations to six of our seniors who successfully defended their honors theses in April: Brian Fox “A Pirate, A Cowboy, and A Bank Robber Walk Into A Bar...And Undergo a Study in Historical Romanticization” Emily Nadel " 'Far From the Home I Love': Staging American Jewish Identity in Fiddler on the Roof" Emily’s project included a performance. Ernest Jefferson, "Community Amidst Adversity: The Navigation of Shared Struggle Among Chicago Public Housing Residents" Sarah Kolenbrander "Pain Had a Face, Indignity Had a Body, Suffering Had Tears;" Evaluating the Role of Colonial Williamsburg in Portraying Narratives of Enslavement" Mara Steinitz "Destabilizing Domesticity: The Construction and Collective Memory of Jewish-American Womanhood from 1900 to 1950" Greg Zacharia "After the Apocalypse: a Comparative Study of the Black Death, London Fire, and Lisbon Earthquake"
Greg Zacharia and Mara Steinitz attended the 8th annual Conference on Religion and Spirituality in Berkeley CA with funding assistance from the department.
Spencer: I've always been interested in history. When I watched Beauty and the Beast as a kid, I was more enthralled by the medieval castles and dresses than the story. I have a diverse range of interests, including both in STEM and social sciences, but I keep coming back to history. When I got to Macalester, I wanted to study environmental studies because I had always been told that history was not an employable field. However, I took two history classes and started attending history club and just came to the conclusion that history is what I love. So I declared a history major. Emma: I've always loved history since I was little, probably because I've always appreciated a good story. As I grew up, I realized history was thousands of big and little stories that all intermingle and the individuals in history began to really interest me. The psychology behind why societies remember who and what they remember fascinates me. Ben: My first semester at Mac, I enrolled in the "Medieval Imagery in the Modern World" course. I connected with the professor and really enjoyed the course material. Studying History at a college level was everything I hoped it would be and more. I introduced myself as a history major without actually being one until this past November, when I had to declare to enroll in "The Study of History," so I did so in the middle of registration.
Spencer: I am studying abroad in Granada, Spain fall semester. I took Spanish in High School, and continued it in college. My main area of historical study is medieval Europe, and I wanted a language immersion experience. That made Spain, and in particular, Granada -- a center for medieval Iberian history -- the logical choice. Emma: Currently, I don't have any concrete plans for study abroad, but I'm potentially thinking Japan, New Zealand, or Greece. Ben: I'm heading to Edinburgh in Scotland this coming fall! I'm super excited to see some of the places I've studied.
Fresh Faces in the History Department
Favorite class so Far?
Why history?
Study Away Plans?
Spencer: My favorite history course thus far would have to be a toss-up between Hundred Years War and Study of History. In Hundred Years War I was in class with a lot of my friends. I also really like Hundred Years War because the topics are really thought-provoking, and it has given me an opportunity to befriend other sophomore history majors. Emma: Reinventing the Middle Ages with Basit Qureshi Ben: My favorite course was "The Hundred Years War" a night class with Cameron Bradley. I completed my largest research paper in my history career and came out of the course with a newfound understanding of the medieval period, as well as knowledge of a conflict that had always interested me. Learned a lot about feudalism too.
New History majors Spencer McAllister, '20 Emma Page '19, and Ben Trumble '20 share their thoughts and experiences in the department so far, and talk about their future study away plans.
Kevin Wilhelm is currently the CEO of Sustainable Business Consulting, a firm that works with various businesses to demonstrate the benefits of implementing sustainable practices and leading them through this process. He also teaches Sustainable Business at Bainbridge graduate Institute and has lectured at various colleges throughout the years. He received an MBA in Entrepreneurship and Venture Management at the Daniels College of Business, University of Denver in 2001 and a certificate in Sustainable Business at Bainbridge Graduate Institute in 2007. On February 20th, Kevin attended the 10 year celebration of the Sustainability Office in Smail Gallery with students, staff, and faculty and was the first alum to receive a “Green Star” award for showing leadership in sustainability. Later that night, he gave a lecture entitled “Climate Change: There is a Solution” in Markim Hall where he discussed alternative ways to view sustainability and the appeal that being environmentally-conscious has for possible future employers. Above: Students and faculty at the November 9 lunch. At right: Professor Crystal Moten, and students EJ Coolidge and Keaton Belbas in conversation.
MORE AlumNI News
On April 3 Professor Crystal Moten moderated a panel titled "Are We Going to the Promised Land? King's Vision and America's Struggles in the 21st Century" to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the murder of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. On April 5 the department hosted a Pre-registration Lunch in the fourth floor lounge in Old Main. History students and professors enjoyed an Asian-fusion lunch and learned about the Fall 2018 class offerings.
Kevin Wilhelm '95
Spring2018 department events
History major Jennifer Arnold, '19 presented her work on topic modeling of UN speeches from 1970. This work from her data visualization class with Bret Jackson gives her the framework she needs to pursue her research questions about the impact of historical events on Fidel Castro's speech rhetoric.
Chris Dayton '98 says, “After majoring in Classics and History at Mac, getting my first archaeological field experience with Andy Overman at Chersonesus, and then following in Andy's footsteps to graduate school at Boston University, I founded the Cultural Resources Division at a small environmental firm in Austin, Texas in 2009. My program now has eight full-time staff archaeologists and five historians working in Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. Field experience in this region is far less important than a positive, open attitude, critical thinking ability, and writing skills, all of which should distinguish Mac grads from most other candidates.” Chris has offered to make himself available to any Mac grads want to work in his region or are just looking for general advice about building a career in CRM consulting (where he tells us, 90% of US archaeology happens). If you are interested, contact the department office to obtain his contact information.
History Alumnus in Sustainability
Krista Goff, ‘04 “I am an assistant professor of history at the University of Miami, and am currently on leave to take up fellowships in Washington, DC at the Kennan Institute (Wilson Center) and Kluge Center (Library of Congress).
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HIST 114-01
History of Africa to 1800
MWF
10:50 am-11:50 am
Tiffany Gleason
HIST 121-01
The Greek World
Brian Lush
HIST 137-01
From Confederation to Confederacy: US History from Independence to Civil War
TR
09:40 am-11:10 am
Linda Sturtz
HIST 140-01
Introduction to East Asian Civilization
02:20 pm-03:20 pm
Yue-him Tam
HIST 164-01
Governing the Body: Health/Eugenics/Population Control in Global Perspective
01:20 pm-02:50 pm
Jessica Pearson
HIST 181-01
Introduction to Latin America and the Caribbean
Ernesto Capello
HIST 219-01
In Motion: African Americans in the United States
12:00 pm-01:00 pm
Crystal Moten
HIST 225-01
American Indian History to 1871
Katrina Phillips
HIST 229-01
Narrating Black Women's Resistance
09:40 am-10:40 am
HIST 234-01
U.S. Environmental History
Chris Wells
HIST 244-01
US Since 1945
Amy Sullivan
HIST 251-01
Pirates, Translators, and Missionaries
01:10 pm-02:10 pm
HIST 275-01
The Rise of Modern China
HIST 277-01
The Rise of Modern Japan
03:30 pm-04:30 pm
HIST 281-01
The Andes: Landscape and Power
HIST 290-01
History: Then and Now
03:00 pm-04:30 pm
HIST 294-01
First Encounters
MW
08:00 am-09:30 am
Karin Velez
HIST 294-02
Uses and Abuses: History of Drugs, Addiction and Recovery in the US
M
07:00 pm-10:00 pm
HIST 340-01
US Urban Environmental History
HIST 381-01
Transnational Latin Americas
W
HIST 394-01
The Holocaust
HIST 394-02
Bold Heroes and Worthy Deeds: Chivalry in the Later Middle Ages
Cameron Bradley
HIST 490-01
Senior Seminar
HIST 490-02
Fall 2018 history schedule
Emma Daszkiewicz, a junior History major, helps with research assistance requests: I'm originally from Seattle, Washington and have lived there my who life, except for my semesters at Mac. I'm a History major with minors in French and Classical Languages, which is part of the reason I wanted this job. I wanted a chance to work more in depth with the department. Outside of school I read, hike, and play volleyball. Christina Feng, a sophomore History minor, assists with web and social media: I’m Christina. I’m from New York and I’m a linguistics major! I love the history classes I’ve taken at Mac and I hope to explore the Classics department more in the future! Lucy Grein, a sophomore History major, assists with web and social media: I am from Portland, Oregon but moved to Minnesota during my gap year, which is when I learned to call the Twin Cities my home. I am a history major with lots of potential minors, although I am headed to Greece next semester so hopefully that will help me hone my path at Mac. I love creative endeavors and am excited to promote the history and classics office through the website, bulletin board, and social media! Kasia Majewski, a junior History major, helps with research assistance requests: I’m from a small town in Illinois and appreciate all the opportunities I’ve come across since moving to the Twin Cities. I decided to major in history because I love researching and collecting information in order to assemble it into a piece of writing. Emma Page, a first-year History major, has joined Maisie Rossi in working on our newsletters: I'm Emma Page, and I was born and raised in University Place, Washington. I've been interested in history ever since I was little, especially the odd, interesting parts that don't get covered in most basic courses. This semester I am taking two history classes, along with Japanese. I'm very excited to be working in the office!
History students at work in the department OFFIce Meet the student staff, all History major/minors ,who help make the department run
History RePeeps Itself in Dioramas. Pictured with their PeepWars entries (left to right): Emma Daszkiewicz, Spencer McAllister, Anna Skalicky, Nathanial Lay, Owen Carter, Liam McMahon, Ben Trumble, Morgan Hess, Jordan Schwed, Cordelia Jones, Rena Zhang Photo Courtesy of: Melanie Guardado
This semester, History Club welcomed new members and maintained core members from last semester. As Jemma Kloss ‘19 is studying abroad in Scotland for the Spring Semester, Emma Daszkiewicz ‘19 is now leading the group, with Spencer McAllister ‘20 as secretary. Due to the continued growth of the club, the meetings have been moved from the third floor to the larger and cozy fourth floor lounge. At around 4:45, after the final classes of the day get out, members head up the lounge, and grab some snacks and tea. A typical meeting starts with any updates or events happening in the week, followed by introductions with a go-around question such as “If you were to get a tattoo with some sort of historical relevance, what would it be?” For the main part of the meeting, each member can then talk about something related to the topic of the week for a couple minutes before it is opened up to the whole group. This semester, some of the topics have included: Civil Rights and Black History, Women and Gender History, Myths and Legends, Tyrants, and Fashion, and Soviet History. On March 22nd, members formed groups and participated in Peep Wars, in which they made dioramas of Historical events using candy Peeps. New members are always welcome!
History club update
This year, the History Department took part in the March 2nd Founder’s Day Decathlon, which consisted of ten events sponsored by various departments. Students from the History Club organized a point-based competition for the event, in which teams performed skits of historical events from Macalester’s history, such as the founding of the bell, or other important world events, like the Boston Tea Party. Eleven teams in total competed in this fun event. Each team chose to reenact an event from Macalester’s own history, as doing this gained them an additional point. Teams could also gain points by mentioning bagpipes or incorporating the name of a current or past History professor into the sketch. The skits ranged from one minute to five. These including stories about the 1923 cow incident in the chapel, a Macalester ping pong team, the Mac Rock, and creative versions of Macalester’s founding. Three judges (alternating between Emma Daszkiewicz, Maisie Rossi, Emma Page, Spencer McAllister, and David Blomquist) evaluated the skits. The performances were scored on creativity rather than literal historical accuracy.
Cows, Rocks, and Ping Pong: A Founder's Day Event
