I’ve just come across an old newsletter issued by the Department of History in 2005 called “History Matters.” Like a medieval parchment, it describes a world that no longer exists. At the time of the newsletter’s publication, the department had nearly 1,000 history majors and 135 graduate students. In 2022, those numbers have fallen to about 325 majors and 45 grad students.
We aren’t alone — nearly every history department in the country can tell a similar story of declining enrollment. The reasons are an open book: The recession of 2008, continuing economic uncertainty compounded by the pandemic and the increasing cost of a college education, have all combined to create the impression that humanities degrees are somehow less employable. To many students and their families, STEM disciplines offer a safer bet for post-graduate career success.
Naturally, we take a different view. Employers value the skills we teach — critical reading, research, use of evidence, analysis and writing are applicable in a wide array of sectors. A history graduate, armed with the experience of crafting a 20-page research seminar paper or a 35-page honors thesis, can take on any number of careers in law, journalism, business, government, academics, and, yes, even the sciences. Our students gain historical literacy, a sense of how history has shaped the world they’ll inherit. As any headline can tell us, that’s an urgently-needed skill. To be a history major is not to retreat to the past but to embrace the present. History may not repeat itself, but knowledge of our past can help us understand today’s challenges and prepare us for tomorrow. It’s a study of human nature itself.
In this newsletter, you’ll meet some of our students and learn about their accomplishments. From a passionate Rhodes Scholar seeking justice for all to two award recipients who found new purpose during study abroad in Spain, you’ll see that our students have gained rich experiences and new perspectives during their studies.
You’ll also meet their teachers — our faculty, whose research, writing, pedagogy and public engagement help nurture new generations while giving us greater insight into the past. The pandemic didn’t slow them down. They’ve produced nine books and 20 articles, winning half a dozen major fellowships and grants in the past year. Two faculty, Seth Bernstein and Anton Matytsin, earned tenure and promotion. This fall, we also welcome new faculty to our ranks and give best wishes to others who’ve retired after many years of service to the department and the university.
Our faculty, staff, students and alumni make the department a vibrant intellectual home. Thanks especially to those who keep it running efficiently: associate chair Nina Caputo, graduate coordinator Mitch Hart, undergraduate coordinator Ben Wise, associate graduate coordinator Anton Matytsin, office manager Erin Smith, and staff assistants Melissa Hale and Hazel Phillips. This year, we’ve added a new position: Seth Bernstein takes on an inaugural role of communications coordinator, a sort of webmaster/newsletter editor who’ll help broadcast word of the department’s doings.
As we reflect on how much has changed since the 2005 text of “History Matters,” its title has never rung truer.
Sincerely,
Jon Sensbach
Professor & Chair