Tess Dornan, History/Secondary Education & English
2022 Glenn A. and Betty J. Niemeyer History Scholarship Recipient
“The History Department provided a well constructed program for me to experience a variety of different history courses throughout my education. The History education courses I took gave me great insight into what my future job would hold.”
—
History grad, '16
THE STUDY OF HISTORY
The craft of history interprets the past. History examines the lives of people, the consequences of ideas, and the products of human ingenuity. Historians engage in deep inquiry and persuasive debate. They craft narratives about the past based in evidence. The skills students gain through the study of history allow them to analyze and interpret evidence and evaluate how human societies change over time.
Choose from a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in history, or a minor in history or history of science, or select history as a teachable minor. Careful training in research, writing, critical reading, and interpretation makes history graduates attractive to a wide number of employers who value those abilities, especially in fields of law, library and museum work, finance, journalism, and public administration. Students also study history to advance their own liberal education and to train their minds.
THE PROFESSION OF SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION
Or, choose the major in Group Social Studies that is designed for students seeking teacher certification to teach in high schools or middle schools. Students study a variety of academic fields including History, Geography, Political Science, and Economics. Students acquire a strong background to engage their classrooms with vibrant content. Students have historically had great success in landing jobs in classrooms in Michigan, but also across the United States, particularly in Texas and Utah. A significant number of alumni have gone into educational administration, graduate school, and a wide variety of other professions. Social studies students can choose from a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S). We also support the Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Elementary Teaching major designed for students seeking teacher certification in elementary education.
The Department of History is a unit of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Click to learn more about the History Department scholarships.
Scholarship Recipients
Alex Jablonski, History '11
2011 Quirinus Breen Prize Recipient
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The Public History badge allows students to enhance their degree program through place-based and community engaged projects drawing on current practices and methodologies.
The Certificate in Medical and Health Humanities allows students to broaden their understanding of medicine and health by incorporating the diverse perspectives of a variety of disciplines in the liberal arts and sciences.
The Civic Change Agent Badge aims to inspire students to align democratic ideals and civic commitment with deep knowledge of context, history, and policy. It teaches students the values and practices required to sustain democracy through formal curricula, project learning, and co-curricular activities.
Click to learn about the programs happening every year in the History Department!
Upcoming Events and Opportunities
Outstanding Alumni and Students
Ricky Benavidez '14 & '19
Ricky Benavidez graduated from Grand Valley in 2014 and 2019 with bachelor's degrees in history and public and nonprofit administration as well as a Master of Public Administration. After graduating, he held several positions at GVSU and served on the GVSU Young Alumni Council for 6 years. Ricky is a Senior Associate at Ktisis Capital, Adjunct Professor at GVSU, Strategist and Communications Director at West Michigan Progress, and DEI learning coordinator for the Grand Rapids Community Foundation. He sits on multiple community boards and committees, including the City of Grand Rapids Community Relations Commission, is the Board President of Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities, and is Co-Chair of the Grand Rapids Community Foundation’s LGBT Fund Advisory Board.
Joseph Westover, a previous Social Studies Education major here in the History Department at GVSU, is awarded Grand Rapids Public Schools' Teacher of the Year Award!!! Congrats Joseph, you inspire us!
Gloria Masterton is a Social Studies teacher at Legion Collegiate Academy in Rock Hill, SC. Gloria is a proud graduate of Grand Valley State University where she received her BA in Social Studies and Secondary Education. In addition, she also earned her Masters of Education specializing in Multicultural Contexts in Education from the University of South Carolina. Gloria has taught Government, Economics, United States History, and Sociology during her career. She is passionate about making Social Studies relevant to all her students’ prior knowledge and life experiences, and truly helping build the leaders of tomorrow. Currently, Gloria leads as the Social Studies Department Chair, advisor for Student Council and Yearbook, and faculty mentor and evaluator for her colleagues. Gloria was also named LCA 2022 Teacher of the Year for her continued dedication to her students and accomplishments in education.
94% of GVSU alumni respondents rated their academic experience in the History and Social Studies majors as excellent or good.
Bradley Stek, History '19
Graduate Student, Central Michigan University and District Representative for the Office of Congressman Peter Meijer
Alice Kalinowski, History '15
Public Services Manager & Research Support, Stanford Graduate School of Business Library
Gabby Ramon, Social Studies '20
4th grade teacher, Jenison Public Schools
Where Are Our Social Studies and History Graduates?
Department News
Recent Faculty Doings and Achievements
The Eisenberg Institute for Historical Studies at the University of Michigan granted Professor Alice Chapman a Residency Research Fellowship for Fall 2022 and Winter 2023. The fellowship carries a $10,000 stipend, a fellows’ group to support research, university library privileges and office space. This is an exciting opportunity that provides access to exceptional resources for research and a community of scholars with whom to discuss ideas.
Annie Whitlock: Publishes new article: Whitlock, A.M. & Brugar, K. A. (2022). Historical fiction and its commonplace in classrooms. The History Teacher, 56(1), 77-102. Read here.
Chad Lingwood: Publishes new article: “Kaml al-D+n Ban‘+’s Bahrm va Bihrkz: A Persian Romance qua Mirror for Princes in Light of Aq Qoyunlu History,” Middle Eastern Literatures 24, no. 3 (2023): 209-27. Read it here.
Professor James Smither is the editor of Death and Life in the Big Red One.
“The Public House and Conflict: Violence in the Inns, Taverns and Alehouses of Kraków in the Jagiellonian Era,” appeared in Slavonic & East European Review 100, Number 2, (April 2022): 295–322. Project MUSE, doi:10.1353/see.2022.0016. Read here.
Visiting Professor Joshua Morris publishes new book
Dr. Joshua Morris publishes The Many Worlds of American Communism. "By exploring the political, community, and labor dimensions of American communism, Morris helps convey the complex nature of social movements and the various ways they attempted to create agency in their society."
GVNext: History Department News
Civic Engagement Showcase returns to highlight campus-community partnerships
After a three-year absence, the Civic Engagement Showcase returns on April 6, offering campus and community members space to share their partnerships on issues that impact everyone.
Mar 30, 2023
Public health stories: GVSU experts, students team with Grand Rapids Public Museum to showcase groundbreaking work
"GR Stories - Public Health History in Grand Rapids" will be held March 29.
Mar 23, 2023
History Scholarships
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