'No Small Detail is Unimportant'
Student Snapshot: Sarah Ruschak ’27
Sarah Ruschak ’27 explores the past through archival research, study abroad and community-engaged history. From helping organize nationally recognized speakers through the Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues to mentoring local high-school students through the House Divided Project, she’s discovered how historical scholarship can connect classrooms, communities and everyday life.
Hometown:
Belle Vernon, Pa.
High School:
Belle Vernon Area High School.
Majors:
Clubs and organizations:
Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues (co-supervisor) and Dickinson's House Divided Project.
Best thing about my Dickinson experience:
My job at the Clarke Forum! Juggling everything from poster design to audio editing has given me valuable professional experience, and I love working on programs featuring speakers outside my field of study. It’s also rewarding to see members of the Carlisle community attend our events. I’m also incredibly grateful for the amazing friends I’ve made and the support they’ve given me.
Best thing about my major:
Studying history at Dickinson has reinforced that no detail is too small to matter. Whether we’re discussing refrigerators in Soviet history or charity records in medieval Iberia, I’ve learned how seemingly ordinary details reveal the complexities of the past. I also appreciate how my professors connect major historical events to the experiences of everyday people.
On choosing Dickinson:
I wanted to attend a smaller college where I could build meaningful relationships with my professors and classmates. Dickinson’s generous financial aid package also made opportunities like studying abroad much more accessible.
Favorite class/learning experience:
Plague Years with Professor Seiler. I loved how we combined literary theory with historical perspectives while reading books and poems about the 1918 influenza pandemic, the polio epidemic and COVID-19. We also read several out-of-print books that I never would have discovered on my own.
Favorite professor:
I’ve taken two classes with Professor Young, and I’m excited to complete my thesis with him as my advisor this year. He provides thoughtful guidance on historical research and is deeply committed to helping students become stronger writers. With his support, I researched an environmental disaster that occurred near my hometown in the 1940s, which became one of the most meaningful projects I’ve completed at Dickinson.
On studying abroad:
During my junior year, I studied abroad in Oxford, England, where I participated in one-on-one tutorials with professors whose expertise closely matched my interests. Researching, writing and defending multiple essays each week challenged me academically and strengthened my confidence as a writer and historian.
About my internship:
For the past two years, I’ve interned with the House Divided Project. I help lead the Knowledge for Freedom Seminar, a summer program that gives local high school students the opportunity to take a college-level history course. Watching the students grow over two weeks reinforced for me how important history is in helping young people understand today’s world.
Honors/scholarships/awards:
Provost Scholarship, Shuman Award for First-Year Excellence, Alpha Lambda Delta and Dean’s List.
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Published August 4, 2026