CLASS OF 1990
Hilary Aquino h_aquino@yahoo.com
I am in my last year of grad school at SUNY Stony Brook, completeing my doctorate in US History. My dissertaion examines the history of public health policy and race in NYC 1945-1965. I also have a certificate in Women's Studies and teach in both departments. My secondary area of specialization in which I teach a course is Native American History.
Eve Draeger Bursic Eve_Draeger-Bursic@FCEINC.COM
. . . I thought you might like to know that I had the pleasure of representing Dickinson last evening at a college fair hosted by a Pittsburgh-area high school. I still love talking about my wonderful experience at Dickinson, and especially with the History Department. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of students who expressed an interest in studying history. Needless to say, I told them they could not go wrong! . . . I still can't believe it has been ten years since I left Dickinson. it is amazing how much of an impact your college years have on your life! . . .
Betsy Bird Goodrich egoodrich@sprintmail.com
I think posting information about what alumni have done with their history majors is a fabulous idea. I know that I was unsure of what to do with myself when I graduated. This would have inspired me. Here's some information for the web site:
I received a Masters in Public Administration from the George Washington University in 2000. I work for Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, a non-profit organization that helps communities build trails by converting abandoned railroad corridors into multi-use trails. I don't use my history major in any obvious or traditional ways. However, we are preserving important transportation corridors and some may again be used for rail in the future. Also, many of these railroad corridors are part of larger community redevelopment efforts, while others run through very rural, scenic places. Some towns create museums, visitor centers or transportation hubs out of old train stations that can be accessed from the trails.
Kevin Hart hartkb@yahoo.com
I thoroughly enjoyed reading fellow colleages' testimonials. If you want, you may also post my e-mail on the new web site. Keep up the good work.
Georgia Spiliotes Zaiser bege@worldnet.att.net
. . . I returned to Dickinson for my 10th reunion last summer. It was great to see the campus--it looks fantastic. After graduation in 1990, I received my Masters in Secondary Education in 1992. I now teach American and World history to 7th and 8th graders in Far Hills, New Jersey. In addition, I am Grade Level Coordinator for the 6th grade at Far Hills Country Day School. . . . I also am married now and my husband Bob and I have a son Andrew who is two. We are quite busy with school and parenthood. I have been teaching for almost eight years and I am so glad I pursued a career in teaching history. There are so many terrific ways to reach young students nowadays. . . . I would be happy to hear from any history majors.
CLASS OF 1991
Chris Downing MADMAXCMD@aol.com
I graduated in 1991 with degree in History, specializing on 20th century US and the Early National Period. Dan Richter was my advisor. I also received my secondary teaching certification and I have been teaching ever since. I have worked in both public and private schools, in the North and the South. I took a year off- 1995-1996 school year-to earn my MA from the University of Delaware. I specialized in American 20th century diplomatic history, specifically on the "China Hands" that served as the liaison between the American government and the Chinese regimes of Chiang Kai Chek and Mao Tze-Tung.
I currently teach at the Charlotte Latin School in Charlotte, North Carolina. I am also in the process of applying for Ph.D. programs in US History. The one complication is my family and my job; I need to stay in Charlotte, so I am hoping to find a school that will permit me to earn my Ph.D. part-time. I would love to hear from current students and lend a hand wherever possible. I look forward to hearing from you.
Bryan Ellis bryan@thebarterconnection.net
Always good to hear from the old alma matre even if I don't ever seem to find the time to make it back. . . A brief recap from graduation forward. I spent three years in law school at American University in DC. Decided that I couldn't support the system of laws we live under and after passing the bar stopped practicing. Started working in minor league baseball doing stadium operations in Arkansas, moving onto concessions in Wilmington, DE, transferring to Kemper Arena, back into baseball with the Quad City River Bandits (Davenport, Iowa) before getting married and having to settle down. Have now been working as a travel agent for about two years. Am the director of marketing along with my other duties. Check out the website at www.carlsontravel.com/pennsylvania. Have been married for two years . . . My son just turned one and also have an eleven year old daughter. Currently settled in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania outside of Philadelphia. Looking forward to catching up with anyone who's interested.
2002 up-date: In April 2002 I left the travel industry and founded my own company with my wife. We currently run The Barter Connection which is a barter exchange in Chester County Pennsylvania. I won't go into details on how barter works but anyone is free to email me for information. My daughter at age 13 has taken up the guitar and possesses all the musical talent I wish I'd had. In only six months of playing she's able to play almost any music either by sheet music or by sound. Its incredible for someone like myself who has a tin ear to listen to how quickly she picks this up. She is still radically unschooled and so has the time to invest in whatever projects she needs to. My 3-year- old son is fascinating for me to watch. He seems to learn so many new things each day and constantly surprises me with some of the things he does. I find myself often having to "let go" of some of my own issues and just let him be himself. I learn so much about myself by how I react to both my children. Why, for instance, do I object to using the same paint brush in yellow and blue. Yes the colors mix together but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I just have to let go a little bit and realize that as long as its not a safety issue that I should not repress my children's inherent creativity. Anyway, enough from Chester Springs for now. (610-827-5031-phone; ww.thebarterconnection.net)
Kathe (Ellison) James kjames@mitchamcouncil.sa.gov.au
I enjoyed my history courses at Dickinson very much and think of the faculty fondly. The faculty really made history come alive, were powerful, intriguing and, in the case of Prof. Jarvis and his vignettes, very funny. Most of all I enjoyed getting my paws on primary resources in the archives and in the historical society and discovering their stories.
After I graduated from Dickinson, I moved to Rhode Island where Charles James '89 was working on his PhD in Ocenaography. Charles, even with a Physics degree, had great difficulty in getting a job. I went straight to the University of Rhode Island that summer and started my Masters in Library Studies. I got two jobs at the University library--one in the archives and one in the reference department. I wanted to be an archivist and stay in contact with history and politics--but at that time, archivists only left their jobs when they died. Since I'm not the killin' type, I stuck with the Reference Department. After I finished my degree, I continued on in the Reference Department as a lecturer on month-to-month contracts and then year-to-year contracts. I became the manager of interlibrary loan, taught library skills & research classes, and I did a lot of computer troubleshooting--as we all do. When Charles finished his degree in 1997, he found a postdoctoral fellowship at Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia. I am the Information Team leader in the City of Mitcham Libraries and also acted as the Manager for the past six months ending in January 2001. I really enjoy working with the public. We teach Internet classes to the public and provide Internet access to them, in addition to the traditional library services. I still do a lot of computer troubleshooting and keeping up with the newest technology--as we all do.
I live on a 2 1/2 acre property in the Adelaide Hills where my neighbors have cherry and lemon orchards and I have a beautiful rose garden. We have rain water tanks with very complex plumbing. And when the hampster at the electrical company gets tired of running on that wheel, the lights go out.
Australian history is just beginning to be discovered and presented here. They all know the American Presidents--but are just starting to learn who the first prime minsiter was.
2002 up-date: Charles and I have become Australian Citizens and hold dual citizenship
now. In Australia voting is compulsory so we must go to the polls or pay a fine. It doesn't matter what country I am in, I tend to vote for the lesser of the evils.
Mark T. Filbert mfilbert@enter.net
Katherine Hellinger Hellingerk@aol.com
I would be happy for you to post my email address for students and alumni, but I am a typical result of the liberal arts education and although I loved my major I am doing nothing with it. If anyone wants to know anything about working with children with disabilities I would be happy to assist them!
Peter Hilton-Kingdon pwh310@psu.edu
. . . of course you can post my e-mail address to the web site.
CLASS OF 1992
Sue Schmeling Butterfield Schmelbo@cs.c
Great idea! I took the obvious path, and became a high school history teacher. I was lucky enough to get a job as soon as I graduated college, and I'm in my ninth year at Passaic High School in Passaic, NJ. I enjoy it alot, and will probably be there for the duration of my working years. I married another D'son alum, Frank Butterfield '93, and we recently had a baby in August. I look forward to catching up with fellow history majors!
Laura Kamoie kamoie@erols.com
I applied to numerous graduate programs my senior year and eventually decided on the MA program in history at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA. As part of that program, I received an apprenticeship in Historical Archaeology at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation--this turned out to be one of the best and most interesting opportunities I have ever had. I went on to the doctoral program at William and Mary immediately after my MA year and pursued studies in Early American (through about 1820) and African-American history. I also maintained my interest and work in historical archaeology. Every summer I worked doing archaeology somewhere in the Williamsburg area (on slave quarter sites, industrial sites, house sites, fort sites--including the original 1607 Jamestown Fort Site). As I worked on my dissertation, I taught individual courses as an "adjunct instructor" at a number of places--including Dickinson. I also had other jobs along the way, some that related to history (curator at the Cumberland County Historical Society) and some that simply helped pay the bills (data entry clerk, receptionist, etc., through temp agencies). As I neared completion of my dissertation, I began applying for one-year visiting and tenure-track teaching jobs. The first position I landed was a one-semester position at St. Olaf College in Minnesota. The following year, I landed a tenure-track job at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. Now I hold a Visiting Assistant Professor position at American University in Washington, DC. I teach undergraduate and graduate courses, and am helping to develop AU's new program in Public History (the practice of history outside academia, i.e., all history-related activity besides teaching). If anyone would like to know more about work in various Public History venues or about the graduate school/job market process, please feel free to contact me! Good luck!
Corey Long clong@lehman.com
I would be delighted to participate in anything having to do with the history department. Looking back on my days at Dickinson, I have more loyalty to the department (especially Profs Jarvis and Carson) than to the school. You and your colleagues were kind enough to award me the William Lenox Avis prize my senior year. I look forward to being involved - this is overdue I think! My e-mail at work is clong@lehman.com - that is the one you should use. I would be happy to talk to current students interested in either working in Congress (I spent 5 years as a legislative staffer in the Senate) or investment banking (I'm currently in the investment banking healthcare group at Lehman Brothers in New York).
Jeffrey Moll Jgmoll@aol.com
As a Dickinson Class of 1992 alumnus, I would be happy to share my experiences
and post-graduate studies. Please feel free to contact me.
Jennifer Ng jng@meditech.com
Please feel free to post my email if you wish. However, I am currently not in a career that utilizes my major. I am working as a Project Coordinator at a medical software company.
Scott Riley sriley@isp.cz
I must have missed the 2000 time around, but I'm glad to hear about the website now. I enjoyed reading about some of my classmates and what they are up to. Like some of them, I'm also using my history degree as a middle school teacher. After a few years of teaching in the states, my wife and I moved to Jakarta, Indonesia, for three years. We're now in our fourth year at the International School of Prague, Czech Republic. I'd be more than happy to discuss my experiences with anyone interested.
Michael Sheridan mjsheridan7@hotmail.com
I am also part of the Career Center's Alumni Contact Program. I actually started my career with the help of an alumnus through the Contact Program way back in '92.
NOTE: Michael is employed as a producer/videojournalist for the Discovery Health Channel on New York Times Television. He also shot and field produced four, one-hour verite-style documentaries on the EMS in Detroit, Washington, D.C. and Boston, two hours on homicide detectives in New Orleans and two hours on the E.R. department in Savannah, Georgia. He was nominated for an Emmy for videography this year for the Savannah trauma show.
CLASS OF 1993
Jeff Bell JLBELL12@aol.com
Please post my email address on the History Department website and refer any potential high school/middle school history teachers my way if they're interested. Thanks.
Jennifer Brehm j_brehm@ADMIN.FANDM.EDU
I recently came across the history webpage and just wanted to say thanks. I've had so much fun not only reading about those I know, but also hearing the stories of others as well. As a history major that wasn't quite sure what to do with my degree, I can relate. But everything has worked out great. I am now with the Centennial Conference and once again involved with Dickinson and the athletic program. I am currently working towards my masters in sports administration and have only recently begun to truly appreciate just how valuable my Dickinson degree is. Thanks again for the opportunity to share this with others.
Sarah Kinsley Choi swkc1971@yahoo.com
You may post my email on the alumni page. It will fun to connect with those I haven't seen in a few years too. Great idea!
Jim Gerencser gerencse@dickinson.edu
It's not too hard to figure out that being a history major had an enormous impact on my career choice. I am currently the College Archivist and Special Collections Librarian right here at Dickinson. My job is a unique and varied one, and never quiet or dull in any way. I do some teaching, do a lot of research, do some writing for college publications, do a ton of organizing college records, personal papers, photographs, etc., and a number of other miscellaneous tasks. Much of the research being done out of my department is available on the web --http://chronicles.dickinson.edu-- a project begun by Prof. John Osborne and me, with invaluable assistance from another history grad, Michele Tourney (class of 1998). Other
history students, too numerous to mention, have made contributions toward the Chronicles project by transcribing materials, doing research, and writing original essays. A new project, titled Their Own Words, funded through a state grant, will make it possible to digitize select books and papers from our collections and make them available via the web. Two other history grads, LeAnn Fawver (class of 2000) and Bobby Reeves (class of 2002), are full-time assistants here in the Archives for this project.
Andrew D. May ANDREW.D.MAY@saic.com
Clearly, my history major at Dickinson changed everything for me. I went on to get my PhD at Emory, and in the course of writing my dissertation (on the development of nuclear strategy at RAND in the early cold war) met a range of very interesting people in the defense world. I now work, as a consultant, for Andy Marshall, the Director of the Office of Net Assessment, in the Pentagon. The office, which is by Pentagon standards tiny at about a dozen people, helps the Secretary think about the future security environment and appropriate strategies DoD should pursue. Marshall is just a tremendous guy--81 years old, far and away the brightest person I've ever met, and intellectually curious. I've spent the last eighteen months or so working directly with Marshall, both on some defense strategy projects and quite a bit of history work. Finally, largely because of Marshall's consistent prodding, I'm nearly done (I hope) revising my dissertation to prepare it as a monograph, and seem to have a publishing arrangement set up with Cornell. Though I never pursued a teaching job, I try, in a halfhearted sort of way, to keep up with the field. And, I must say, I remain distressed at the state of it. I see a pervasive set of attitudes--about the role of history, about the what is important in the history of the country, and how history should be taught--that has really squashed any reasonable dissent. I remain hopeful that things will change, but see as well a self-selection process firmly entrenched, and wonder how long real change will take to come about.
But that's beside the point, really. It goes without question that my time at Dickinson, and in particular the decision to major in history, has profoundly shaped my life for the better.
Amy Weber McKean almckean@msn.com
Michelle Myers Pearce michelle@ppl.cx
(home); mpearce@guralp.co
2002 up-date: Although my job as a part qualified Management Accountant for Guralp
Systems Limited (a leading manufacturer of seismological equipment) since 1998 doesn't necessarily coincide with my history degree, I volunteered as a room steward for the National Trust at The Vyne, Hampshire for three seasons before the arrival of our son Ethan in July 2001. (I have resided in the UK since 1995.)
Christine Ross cbomb22@hotmail.com
Mike Stackow mikestackow@yahoo.com
Lance M. Zaremba lzaremba@ibjwhitehall.com
I am currently a Director at IBJ Whitehall, a Wall Street financial institution specialzing in leveraged finance transactions, and I specialize in the media and
communications segment. Although this wouldn't appear to be a field in which one would directly utilize a history degree, I can't emphasize more strongly just how valuable it has been! I believe that my major course of study at Dickinson developed in me three very crucial skills: how to research, how to organize, and, most importantly, how to communicate effectively in both verbal and written format. I truly believe that my studies at Dickinson, particularly the focus on a degree in history, are a major factor behind my current success. Special thanks to Dean Neil Weissman (probably spelled that wrong!).
CLASS OF 1994
Fayruz Benyousef benyouse@dinipartners.com
Lara Diefenderfer Laradiefenderfer@aol.com
I am actually in Spain at the moment on a Fulbright grant doing doctoral research for my History PhD! I'm studying perceptions of religious ecstatics in 17th century Castile.
2002 up-date: I am currently writing my dissertation as a fellow at the Center on Religion and Democracy at the University of Virginia. I hope to finish my PhD in early modern European history this May.
Amanda Welsh Greenwald Aswgreen@aol.com
I have been teaching since I graduated from Dickinson in 1994. For the past 5 years, I have been teaching Middle School History at the Winchester Thurston School in Pittsburgh. I hope all is well at Dickinson and I look forward to the communication with current and past history majors at Dickinson.
2002 up-date: Since I graduated in 1994, I have been a History/Social Studies teacher.
I have taught high school and middle school and have taught American, European, Russian History and World Cultures. Most recently I taught sixth grade world cultures and seventh grade American History. I have had a wonderful time designing the curriculum for these classes which is innovative, fun, and rooted in a strong sense of history. The classes I teach are hands-on, active, and let the students experience, not just learn about, history. I am on a leave of absence for this school year because I had a baby boy in July, but I am looking forward to going back to teaching in some capacity next year.
Ralph J. Klonsky specialk12@mindspring.com
I believe Dickinsonians to be held to higher academic standard, than most. I say this because most of professors at Dickinson, especially those in my major, pushed me. This was especially true in the areas of writing and critical thinking.
Here I am, nearly 7 years later telling my middle school students that they must think critically. They must manage their use of language--making interesting points when they write, maintain a clear focus, and demonstrate understanding.
Ironically, I identify with my emotionally-handicapped students in this area. My writing skills were subpar for the beginning of my adult life (I frequently mention this to my students). I also mentioned to them that a good education requires one to struggle. I am sure many of my professors would argue that I was not always the best student. Dickinson challeneged me with courses that, at times, overwhelmed me. Honestly, my senior seminar on the 1960's was, by far, the most interesting and one of the more difficult undergraduate classes.
Upon graduation, I immediately pursued a Masters in special education. All of the independent research projects I did while at Dickinson paid off. Graduate school was a welcome challenge. Now I am looking forward to my next big adversity--my doctoral studies. Luckily, I plan to make my thesis somewhat better than my first freshman
seminar paper.
Peter A. Kraemer pkraemer@indiana.edu
I'd be happy to talk to any Dickinson history majors who might be interested in graduate study in history or museum work, since I've done both. I'm currently still in grad school as a Ph.D. student in history and American Studies at Indiana University, Bloomington. I also work for the Journal of American History, which is based in Bloomington.
Cate Mellen Cate1972@aol.com
Martin Molloy dylan555@excite.com
CLASS OF 1995
Nick Boboshko nicholasb@ifsintl.com
Brad DeHart bradjd@excite.com
. . . love telling business colleagues my major was History/English!
Marisa Focht Maronesa@aol.com
Pam Gikas pamg@peoplepc.com
I am very excited to hear about the new History Alumni page on the website. I would love to be involved.
Jon Hunter Hunterjc@erols.com
James M. (Mike) Jones JomesM@aol.com
It's great to see Dickinson's History department establishing a nook for itself on the college's website. I can't wait to see it begin to grow. I would love to see what the faculty is up to and track some of their research and publications.
Jennifer Meade Eisenberg eisenmeade@comcast.net
Hello! As many people have said, studying History at Dickinson was an extraordinary exercise for honing my critical thinking and writing skills. Since graduation, I have been working with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship college students. The history of ideas has always intrigued me, and it is a central piece of my day to day work, from many angles. How do leaders catalyze change in organizations? How do people's meaning-stories about life & relationships dictate their behavior? How do the political, social, and economic context shed light on biblical texts, and therefore, affect current interpretation? These are all questions I ponder reguarly, alone with my coffee--and with students in south central PA.
Robert Pearson rob_d_pearson@yahoo.com
I'm finishing up a masters degree in sport management (yes, there is such a thing) from Georgia Southern University and a law degree from Seattle University. I will have completed both degrees by next December and am looking forward to either working in a firm that specializes in sports/entertainment law or with a sports focused corporation or professional sports franchise. Currently, however, I'm living in Seattle.
Claire Quirke tiaraven@hotmail.com
Ramsay Westgate r_westgate@hotmail.com
Thank you so much for contacting me; I am happy to know that the College's History department is reaching out to alumni. I am currently teaching social studies at the American School of Paris where I am also the Humanities Department coordinator. I am working on my Masters at Colorado College during the summers and will be back in the states for the better part of summer '03. Hope that all is well in Carlisle. Please pass on my regards to Professors Weissman, Rhine and Richter. I hope all three are still at the College; I was pleased to see Professor Weissman's promotion and hope that the other two are still on the faculty. Best wishes for the holiday season and best of luck next year at the College.
Kim Wise Kim.Wise@bsiamericas.com
I'm currently a Business Planning Coordinator for Global & National Accounts at BSI, Inc. in Reston, Virginia. I've been in the D.C. region since graduation & have made it my home. It is interesting to work among so many people who went to large, well-known universities and to get their perspective on college. While there are certainly advantages to both a large public school and a small private school, I feel that the most important advantage that Dickinson held for me was the personal interaction with professors and the relationships that developed over the four years. I am particularly excited to see that Kim Lacy Rogers, one of my favorite professors is now the Chair of the Department!
CLASS OF 1996
Amato Amy Amy9296@earthlink.net
Seth Hufford seth@lpinc.org
Director, Organizational Development
Leadership Pittsburgh Inc.
Just wanted to say that you really can do anything with a Dickinson College history major . . . I am living in Pittsburgh and working for an organization that does community leadership training. See www.lpinc.org.
Best to all on campus and to all my fellow history majors surfing the web.
Karen Pettit kpettit@chubb.com
I would love to be a part of the Dickinson History web-site, although, my job does not have much to do with history at all. But I guess that is the true beauty of the Liberal Arts Education. Currently the only e-mail address I have is through work (I am working on joining the 21st at home). I am currently an underwriter in the Department of Financial Institutions for the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies. I am currently working out of our Boston office. One of the neat things I did do during my time at Dickinson was the Washington Semester at American University. I spent a Semester in the Museum Studies and the Arts which was Great! . . . I would be happy to share any information and experience with other history majors!
Kim Renner KRenner@CWF.org
Dickinson's history alumni page looks great! I just finished my thesis and am expecting to receive my M.A. in American History from William and Mary this spring. I am currently working full-time as a Historical Research Assistant for The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation's new digital library website, Past Portal. I had no idea while I was at Dickinson that my history background might lead me on a path that would combine computer technology with history. It is very exciting because more and more libraries and museums around the country are getting involved in digital libraries and websites, so there are opportunities out there for history majors who are interested in both fields. As part of my work duties, I use a computer markup langauge to edit and transcribe eighteenth- century manuscripts for display on our site. My current job has been a fantastic experience, but it is grant-funded, and I'm thinking that it might be in my best interest to find something a bit more stable, so I currently am job-searching. The Tidewater area of Virginia is full of various career opportunities for those of us interested in history, and it's an exciting time as I have various options open before me. Please feel free to e-mail me!
CLASS OF 1997
Jon Chin JCHIN@SJSharks.com
Brian Duff duff_brian@hotmail.com
Since graduating from Dickinson in 1997, I graduated from law school at the University of Pittsburgh in 2000. I then took a position at a small law firm (3 attorneys) in Wellsboro, PA. The law firm focuses on transactional work, such as Estate Planning, Estate Administration, Business formation, Tax, and Real Estate. Wellsboro is a very small town in north-central PA, about 50 miles north-northwest of Williamsport. It is a tourist town, home of the Grand Canyon of PA, Dickens of a Christmas every December, and Laurel Festival every June. It is also famous for its shots of Main Street, lined
with gas lights and small businesses.
Although I did not pursue a career directly related to history, several of the American history classes I took while at Dickinson have helped me understand the law, and why the law constantly changes to reflect societal views. Particularly important now in the wake of September 11 is our country's struggle to maintain the civil liberties we have historically enjoyed, while at the same time providing security to the citizens.
I'd love to hear from other Dickinson history majors from 1997 or any other year for that matter.
Bruce Conners bconners@prodigy.net
Scott Gierasch gierasch@hotmail.com
Adam Leiser leiseraa@yahoo.com
When I graduated from Dickinson I had a teaching certificate and experience with the men's basketball program. I took these experiences with me to Hawaii where I taught and coached for two years. I had an opportunity to live in a different culture which was quite amazing. I miss Hawaii.
Since leaving Hawaii in 1999, I have earned a master's degree in sports management and opened my own SAT tutoring company named Your Ticket to College. I don't use my history degree in a typical way, but I think my coursework at Dickinson helped me learn how to think and evaluate which comes in very handy in my line of work. I've got three employees and thinking "outside the box" is critical.
I'd also like to add that I am the head coach for the UConn Avery Point women's basketball team. I teach a class on campus that helps our freshmen students acclimate to college.
I'm very very proud of how much I have accomplished and I think that my years at Dickinson helped put me in this position.
Sarah Winn sarahbwinn@email.com
I can briefly update you what I have been up to since graduating in 1997. I worked in Washington, DC for Hostelling International - American Youth Hostels as the development assistant for two years from 10/97 to 8/99. From 9/99 to 8/00 I was enrolled in the M.Ed. in Montessori Education degree program at Loyola College in Baltimore, MD. I have received my Association Montessori Internationale elementary degree as well as the M.Ed. I am currently teaching at Richmond Montessori School in Richmond, VA and loving it.
CLASS OF 1998
Lesley Barnett LBarnett@zefer.com
Erik Cooper ecooper@hhcc.com
I am currently in Boston and working for an advertising agency. I would be happy to help any Dickinson Grad coming to town.
Jason Gappa jgappa@berkshireschool.org
I actually use my degree six days a week during the academic year. I am teaching European History and AP American Government at Berkshire School in Sheffield, MA. It is a boarding school of 385 students. This is my fourth year. Thanks for the inquiry,
and I hope all is well at Dickinson.
Liz Hibbard lizhibbard@yahoo.com
Holly Mengel hollymengel@hotmail.com
I am working for a pharmaceutical consulting company called Strategic Analysis International at present and my job involves a lot of research for the consultants. I will be starting graduate school at the University of Pittsburgh in September for my masters in library science and my concentration will be in archives so I am definitely planning on using my history degree. Even though I am not working in a history environment at
present, I do feel that my history work at Dickinson has been really helpful in the job that I am doing. My research is very much respected: it is thorough and well-organized and presented in a coherent fashion--I thank Dickinson and the history department for a lot of that! My suggestion for any history major (and indeed, any student) is to take advantage of the opportunity to learn as much as possible about computers and spreadsheets/databases/ web design. I did not take any sort of computer class at Dickinson and, although I have been learning a lot through my job, there is a ton that I do not even know about. I do know that knowledge in this area will only become more valuable--no matter what your profession.
Erik Michael emichael@astro.ocis.temple.edu
Michele Tourney tourney@dickinson.edu
Since July 1999, I have been employed as an intern at the Dickinson College Archives and Special Collections. My duties include fulfilling research requests, processing manuscript collections, helping to organize the college archives, and creating and maintaining the departmental websites. The purpose of this internship is to gain practical knowledge of a working archives and special collections environment before I move on to graduate school to obtain masters degrees in history and library science. My experiences at the College archives and special collections have been positive, educational, and incredibly enjoyable!
If you have further questions regarding my position, please don't hesitate to contact me at tourney@dickinson.edu. If you are a student and are interested in working in our department, please contact the college archivist, Jim Gerencser, '93.
Genevieve Ward GWard@thebee.com
Since graduating with my History (and Music) degree, I have served as curatorial assistant at the Historical Society of The Town of Greenwich, Conn. My more recent "career" is as associate editor (for the past year) for "Antiques and The Arts Weekly," a national weekly newspaper devoted to art galleries, antiques and art auctions, and museum exhibitions. The paper is based in Newtown, Conn., but I enjoy traveling to museums and antiques shows in New York, and writing about the news of the trade. This semester I am taking an American Studies graduate course at Fairfield University.
CLASS OF 1999
Timothy Ferguson Timothy.Ferguson@knox.army. mil
. . . I was promoted to Captain in October 2002 and prepared to deploy to Iraq. However, our division's order was caneled and I completed my tour at Ft. Hood, Texas. Currently I'm stationed at Ft. Knox, Kentucky awaiting the start of my Captain's Career Course. Sometime in December I'll receive orders to my next assignment.
Sarah Hutt huttsme@yahoo.com
Ken Larsh Ken.Larsh@AdeccoNA.com
I had the opportunity to visit my alma mater to see some old friends recently. I had no intention of staying long, so I didn't go into Denny like I had so many times before (especially as a student!) Still, I managed to run into some of the faculty I had known in my days there. One of those was Professor Commins. With some encouragement from him, I submit to all of you what my history major has done for me.
I am now in Charlotte, NC working, as an Account Representative, for the largest employment service in the world. As the second largest employer in the US (the Postal Service is 1st), Adecco provides full-service staffing options to clients. This basically means we can provide temporary, temporary-hire, or full-time staff. I enjoy my life here in Charlotte and with Adecco very much, but truly miss being closer to my friends up north and Dickinson.
For me, it's not hard to say exactly what my history major has done for me. Specifically, it is easy to see the benefits of the major in my everyday life. Researching clients, providing thoughtful analysis of what they need, and putting our services in a form which they can truly understand, have all been a lot easier with the skills I learned at Dickinson. And I still use note cards for organizing thoughts in my presentations . . . just like we did in 204-404! We may forget exactly who the colonel was that led the bayonet charge at little round top, during the Battle of Gettysburg, but the processes which we learned never go away.
The history major gave me a chance to study a variety of topics and events, while enabling me to have my own interpretations. How many other majors allow you the freedom to see factual events with different views? History is more than just useful trivia at a cocktail party--though it does help! It makes the students more well-rounded in their liberal arts education by allowing them to interact, and incorporate their lives today. By the way, the man at little roundtop was Joshua Chamberlain. I know Professor Osborne would be disappointed had I let that go. The web page looks great, and I am grateful that you have included the alumni in it.
Martha McLaughlin mcmattie@hotmail.com
Right now, I am working in the Center for Avanced Study in the Visual Arts at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC. I began working at the gallery in June of last year, first as an intern, then as an employee. My plan is to continue working for a couple more years and then I would like to go back to school to earn an advanced degree in art history.
2002 up-date: At Dickinson, I double majored in history and art history. After college, I went to work at the National Gallery of Art for about three and a half years. I returned to graduate school this fall to study art history at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH. I am working on an MA in art history and museum studies. In addition to my classes, I am a TA for art history 101. Things are going well. I enjoy being in school
again. The break between college and graduate school suited me well.