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Department Highlights

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Roger Purdy
Anne Kugler
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The History Department employs ten full-time faculty members with a wide range of expertise in the United States, Germany, England, Latin America, Japan, Russia, and Renaissance Italy. This allows you to take a wide range of courses in African, Asian, European, Latin American, and U.S. history. In our classes you’ll wrestle with interpreting primary sources, engage in discussion and debate and, most important, hone your skills in critical thinking, writing, and public speaking.

Programs of Study

Undergraduate

Major
Minor

Department Highlights

girls watching eclipse

The History Major is structured to allow students to pursue research projects in areas of their interest. It is also manageable enough (39 credits, or 13 courses) to easily double major or minor in one or more fields. That reasonable size also makes it easy to participate in JCU’s Full-Time MBA program.

Dr. Berg speaking at banquet

On April 25th, 2024 the History Department held its annual Majors and Alumni Banquet in the Dolan Science Center. There was a great turnout, and it was wonderful to see the Alumni! Special thanks to our guest speaker, Abby Curtin Teare '12. 

The Department also proudly presented awards to the following History Majors, and would like to congratulate them:

The following students were awarded the Rev. Howard J. Kerner Scholarship:

  • Emma Arrighi
  • Emily Blasko
  • Emmaline Hannan

 

The 2024 Vourlojianis Outstanding Senior Award:

  • Rebecca Kilmer
  • Robert Soucek

 

2024 Sr. Madeline Muller, HM - Dr. Marian Morton Women Historian of Greater Cleveland:

  • Lydia Lane

 

Please mark April 24, 2025 on your calendar, as this is when we will be holding the next History Department Majors and Alumni Banquet. More information on this event will be forthcoming.

Please direct questions to klerch@jcu.edu

Dr. Maria Marsilli was highlighted by The Carroll News in it's segment "Meet the Professor." Listen to this insightful podcast here.

Dr. Matthew Berg was selected for the Fulbright Senior Fellow in Cultural Studies to Austria for spring semester 2024.  He will be affiliated with the International Research Center for Cultural Studies in Vienna and the Institute  of Contemporary History at the University of Vienna, and will be working in various archives and libraries as he completes his book manuscript Renewing Red Vienna: The Reconstruction of a Social Democratic Milieu, 1945-1959.

What can you do with a History Major?

The History Department takes special care to prepare our majors for the world after John Carroll. Pretty much anything. Our graduates have gone on to pursue a dizzying diversity of careers in the law, business, education, government, community service, politics — and a lot more. The History Department at John Carroll has established a mentoring network with our graduates. We put our alumni in the law in contact with students interested in legal careers so they can help mentor them through the law school application process. Alums in business fields, many of whom have earned MBA degrees, assist students seeking entry into the business world. And alumni who have gone on to graduate school — in all kinds of fields — work with our students to allow them to put their best foot forward. If you love history but fear that majoring in it will hamper your career prospects, have no fear — our alumni have you covered. For accounts from some of these alumni, click on the Success Stories tab. For more information on possible employment opportunities, career guidance and graduate schools, check out the National Council on Public History.

Follow Us!

Naturally, the History Department is on social media. Follow us on Facebook , on Instagram at jcu_historydepartment and on Twitter @JCUhistory.

Department of History Newsletter

Below find the links to the latest and greatest Department Newsletter. Find out about upcoming courses, department events, faculty and student news. Please contact the department (historyjcu@jcu.edu) with any questions.

Spring 2024 - Vol. 5

 

  • Happy first day of classes Blue Streaks! We’re so excited to have you back on campus for a great semester!

  • On December 18th, the Cleveland Museum of Art is hosting "Through the Trapdoor: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Museum Display Cases."

    From 12-1pm, you can join CMA conservators for guided tour of the galleries where you'll learn how conservators do what they do!

    Reserve a ticket for free at this link:
    https://www.clevelandart.org/events/through-trapdoor-behind-scenes-look-museum-display-cases-0?utm_source=wordfly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MemberE-News12.05.24&utm_content=version_A

  • Happy Thanksgiving Blue Streaks!!

  • Tomorrow afternoon connect with over 15 different Jesuit Graduate and Professional school recruiters from across the country!! You're encouraged to register on Handshake, but it is not required!!

    Participating institutions include:
    Boston College
    Canisius University
    Creighton University
    Fairfield University
    Georgetown University
    Gonzaga University
    Loyola University Maryland
    Marquette University
    Saint Joseph's University
    Saint Louis University
    Santa Clara University
    The University of Scranton
    University of Detroit Mercy
    University of San Francisco
    Xavier University
    and JCU

  • Dr. Malia McAndrew, with the help of many students including major Maddie Schade, has created a digital exhibit celebrating one of JCU’s most influential alumni: Tim Russert.

    Come support our professor and fellow students as they launch the virtual Tim Russert Exhibit!!!

  • Spring Break 2025 in Berlin? Yes, please!

  • Don't miss out!! James Grossman will be discussing how politics and the public education of social studies interact in his talk "Hijacking History Education: Legislation, Standards, and The Politicization of the Past" on September 26, 2024 at 7:00 PM in the TVCU Ballroom A at Case Western Reserve University.

  • Hope everyone is having an amazing summer! We're looking forward to seeing your smiling faces around campus in August!!

  • Recently, Dr. Marsilli attended a conference in Santiago, Chile, launching the book Colonialismo en América. Prácticas, imaginarios y resignificaciones siglos XVI-XXI. Prácticas, Imaginarios y Resignificaciones” Andrea Armijo Reyes, Xochitl Inostroza Ponce, Maximiliano Salinas Campos (eds.) Editorial Universidad de Santiago de Chile, 2023

    For which she contributed the chapter:
    “¿Indias Putas, Indias Conquistadoras, Indias Conquistadas? Análisis para una Reflexión sobre el Rol de las Mediadoras Indígenas en la Creación de Imaginarios Nacionales: La Malinche y Pocahontas en la Historiografía Moderna USA “

    This picture from the conference features Dr. Marsilli with her colleagues from the University of Santiago, the Catholic University of Tomuco, and the Metropolitan University, among others!

  • For Day of Giving 2024, consider giving to the History Department! Your generous donations help to fund the annual History Banquet and field trips for students like Dr. V’s trip to Kent State, trips to the Western Reserve Historical Society, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and many more. Click the link in our bio to donate!

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