Jason DeBlanco

Why did you decide to enroll at a community college and then to pursue a liberal-arts education? And why Dickinson?

I originally had no idea of what I wanted to do or the money to waste on figuring that out at a state university. Dickinson seemed good because they were very helpful, and offered an amazing financial-aid package, and the history faculty are extremely talented.

Is there a particular academic experience during your time at Dickinson that stands out as most meaningful/influential?

My research method classes for history and more specifically, my 304 with Professor Matt Pinsker. These classes provided me the skills that are essential in being a more complete historian. The skills I gained in those classes transferred over into all other papers and research I conducted from then on: the validity of sources and integrating various resources to back up arguments like charts, pictures and technological resources. Professor Pinkser’s method of teaching and his lectures were on a whole other level. He consistently pushed us to think dynamically when analyzing scholarly articles and implementing technology into our research. His use of the history blogs also pushed us to think critically and objectively about our own historical research and methods. This made me look at my methods and process and critique whether it had been successful or not, what things I could do differently in the future to eliminate unnecessary steps in researching and ultimately produce a better-quality scholarly product.

How have you been influenced by the Dickinson network, and how do you plan to give back to the college as a member of the alumni community?

In a small part, just relating to those who are thinking of attending Dickinson, especially those with community-college backgrounds, and explaining how immensely helpful everyone at Dickinson was to me during my time here. I hope my future reflects well on the scholarly knowledge and experience that I have gained here.

What are your post-graduation plans?

Graduate school.