Duquesne University Department of History

Dr. Elaine Parsons to Facilitate Civil War Lecture Series

noreply@blogger.com (Duquesne History) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 15:33:00 +0000

Dr. Elaine F. Parsons, Associate Professor
Department of History, Duquesne University

The Peters Township Public Library will host “Civil War 150”, a three-part national public programming initiative designed to encourage public exploration of the transformative impact and contested meanings of the American Civil War. The program is presented by The Library of America in partnership with The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and is supported by a grant from National Endowment for the Humanities. A selection of primary documents drawn from the four-volume series The Civil War: Told by Those Who Lived Itwill be provided to registered participants free of charge prior to the May and June programs.

This free discussion series will be facilitated by Dr. Elaine Frantz Parsons, Civil War Scholar and Associate Professor of History at Duquesne University. Patrons may participate in any or all of the three programs; however a separate registration is required for each. Register to attend by emailing programs@ptlibrary.orgwith the program date you are interested in or call 724.941.9430.

Dates and topics include:

Sunday, May 5 from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. Discussion from Civil War Readers Secession and Union andReckoning with the War. Program is limited to 25 participants, high school graduates or older. Reading materials will be distributed to prior to the program.

Sunday, June 9 from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Discussion from Civil War Readers The Experience of Battle and From Slavery to Freedom. Program is limited to 25 participants, high school graduates or older. Reading materials will be distributed to prior to the program.

Thursday, July 18 from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Why did the Klan Wear Bizarre Costumes? presented by Dr. Elaine Frantz Parsons. Open to 80 participants. Parsons is currently compiling a book about the Ku Klux Klan entitled Constructing the Kuklux: The Ku Klux Klan and the Modernization of the Reconstruction-Era South.

For further information about the program series, call the Reference Department at 724.941.9430 ext. 327.

Peoples' Poetry / Peoples' History: April 11th, University of Pittsburgh

noreply@blogger.com (Duquesne History) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 14:56:00 +0000

Peoples’ Poetry/Peoples’ History

How movements from below create and use poetry and history

A conversation with poet Martín Espada
and
historian Marcus Rediker

Moderated by Sam Hazo

Thursday, April 11, 2013
2500 and 2501 Posvar Hall
University of Pittsburgh
Oakland campus
7:30 p.m.

Martín Espada teaches poetry at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He is the prize-winning author of numerous volumes of poetry, most recently The Trouble Ball: Poems (W.W. Norton, 2012).

Marcus Rediker teaches history at the University of Pittsburgh. He is the prize-winning author of numerous volumes of history, most recently The Amistad Rebellion: An Atlantic Odyssey of Slavery and Freedom (Viking-Penguin, 2012).

Sponsored by The University of Pittsburgh's Department of History and Humanities Center

For more information, contact the Department of History at the University of Pittsburgh.

Fall 2013 Internship at the Hershey Story Museum

noreply@blogger.com (Duquesne History) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 13:48:00 +0000

Fallingwater Collections Internship

noreply@blogger.com (Duquesne History) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 20:55:00 +0000

Judy Cheteyan FALLINGWATER COLLECTIONS INTERNSHIP

Fallingwater, the architectural masterwork designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, is seeking a summer intern to work with the Fallingwater Collections.

Position Duration: Summer of 2013

Location: This internship is located in rural Mill Run, PA. Having a vehicle would be helpful as there are no stores or amenities within walking distance.

Job Description: This is a unique opportunity to work at a world-renowned architectural site. The collections intern will be involved in a variety of tasks related to the care and management of the Fallingwater collection. The intern works under the supervision of the Curator of Buildings and Collections.

Qualifications: We are looking for a graduate student with education or background experience in art history, museum studies, architectural history, history, historic preservation or related field.

Pay: This is a paid internship plus free, shared, on-site housing.

Application process: To apply send resume, cover letter and two letters of reference to wpcjobs@paconserve.org and list Collections Intern in the subject line. Application deadline is April 1, 2013.

Guest Blog Post: Joshua Britton (MA '07) on Getting a Ph.D. in History

noreply@blogger.com (Duquesne History) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 16:21:00 +0000

Earning a Ph.D can be incredibly fulfilling. By the end of your time in a Ph.D program, you will have achieved a level of mastery over a certain subject only a few people can claim to possess. You will have written the equivalent of a 250-400 page monograph on that subject. You have the skills and ability to be an effective teacher and researcher. Moreover, you will have a network of mentors, colleagues and friends to call upon for professional and personal support. The relationships you establish in a doctoral program last a lifetime, as those people are some of the few that truly understand what you went through to achieve that degree. You may have some articles in print, perhaps even a contract with a publisher for your dissertation. You may even be one of the lucky few to have a job lined up right out of graduate school.

However, the decision to earn a Ph.D in history is not one to be taken lightly. Statistics from the Chronicle of Higher Education suggests that it takes humanities students, on average, seven years to complete a Ph.D from beginning to end. During that time, unless you are incredibly lucky, you will probably face high levels of stress, financial insecurity and very likely an uncertain job market after you graduate. You may have to put off important life events, such as marriage, or children because you are unable to afford it. Even after you defend your dissertation and add the word “doctor” before your name, you may still have to struggle as an adjunct professor, scraping by on $2500 (or less) per class. The market for academic historians, particularly those who specialize in American or European history is currently glutted. The typical tenure-track American history position can draw over 300 applicants. To even make it to the interview round you have to stand out.

To that end, I have prepared some advice for those of you who weren’t scared off by the previous paragraph. If you truly love history (or English, or philosophy), and are prepared to struggle at some points, you can stand out and succeed, in a Ph.D program. You just have to put in the work.

1) Aim high. Where you go to get your Ph.D often defines where you can find a job. Don’t be afraid to apply for some of the best programs in the country. A degree from Penn or the University of Chicago will absolutely be worth it in the long haul. That said….

2) Pay as little as possible for your degree, and hopefully get a stipend from your program. Likely you will have student loan debt from undergrad and maybe your master’s degree. Many Ph.D programs offer full funding. Find these programs and pursue them aggressively. I accepted the offer I did because they offered me full funding for four years. While this was useful, I’m just finishing my seventh year in the program, and I’ve had to adjunct at several schools to make ends meet. Graduate school is enough stress without having to worry where the money will come from.

3) Be open-minded. You may enter your Ph.D program insisting you want to write about colonial Native American whale fishermen and discover after a year or two you are actually interested in Cold War politics. You will be exposed to a lot in a Ph.D program and you will have to live with your topic (and your advisor) for A VERY LONG TIME. It may even define your career. Make sure it’s something you actually enjoy.

4) Learn how to read (and understand) a book a day.Trust me on this, it will make studying for comprehensive exams—you have to read 200+ books—much easier.

5) Be as active as possible professionally. Attend conferences, present at conferences, submit articles to big-name journals and don’t be afraid to approach a super-star in your field for advice or feedback. The more professional activity you have as a graduate student, the more attractive you are. Connections matter.

6) Have a back-up plan. Do public history coursework or an internship at a museum or a university press in their editing division. Learn about digital humanities or podcasting or material culture. Having skills that will make you marketable in an alternative academic (alt-ac) field is a necessity in today’s job market.

7) Budget time for social interactions. Graduate school is what you make of it. It can be an isolating, monastic existence, or you can actually have fun. Arrange get-togethers for you and your colleagues, put together reading (or writing groups) with other graduate students interested in similar topics. This goes for outside academia too. Make time for your significant other, and be prepared to talk about things that have nothing to do with the nineteenth-century British Empire or the Qing dynasty. This will keep you sane and make returning to your dissertation or your reading easier.

That’s it. I am scheduled to graduate this May, and I can honestly say that earning my Ph.D is both the most enriching and frustrating experience of my life. I hope these small pieces of advice can help you out as you consider taking that next step.

Joshua Britton is a graduate of Duquesne University’s public history MA program (’07) and is currently a Ph.D candidate at Lehigh University. Josh is preparing to defend his dissertation, entitled “Building ‘A City of Homes and Churches’: Elites, Space and Power in Nineteenth-Century Brooklyn,” and hopes to graduate in May.

Field Trip! Join Us at Falling Water 4/6/13

noreply@blogger.com (Duquesne History) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 16:35:00 +0000

Thinking About History

noreply@blogger.com (Duquesne History) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 16:52:00 +0000

A Little Piece of History

noreply@blogger.com (Duquesne History) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 20:29:00 +0000

Here in the Department of History, we often get phone calls, emails, and even faxes from people who have history questions or who have items from the past that they believe have value. Sometimes they want answers. Sometimes they want to know where they can get their items appraised. And sometimes, they just want to donate stuff.

In today's mail, we got a real treat.

This is the sign that hung in the Department of History in the late 1960s, back when it was housed in, well, a house located at 901 Ivanhoe Street.

Ivanhoe Street used to sit between what is now Bluff Street and Vickroy Street. Our very own Dr. Joseph Rishel, author of the history of Duquesne, says that Ivanhoe Street used to be full of row houses, many of which housed academic departments.

Enclosed with this sign was a letter from the former student who had been in possession of it since 1969.

We are thrilled to have been given this piece of departmental and university history! We'll be passing it along to our very own university archivist, Mr. Tom White, who will see to it that it receives the proper handling, care, and preservation it so deserves.

"Reflections on the History of African American Photography: Beyond the Underground Railroad"

noreply@blogger.com (Duquesne History) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 18:41:00 +0000

Preservation Work to Begin at the Fort Pitt Block House

noreply@blogger.com (Duquesne History) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 14:41:00 +0000

We just received an email from one of our Public History graduate program alums, Emily Hoover, who is the Curator at the Fort Pitt Block House here in Pittsburgh. She announced that starting today, the Block House will be undergoing a 10-month restoration and preservation project. Read on to learn more about this exciting enterprise!

The Fort Pitt Society, owners and stewards of Pittsburgh’s oldest authenticated structure, the Fort Pitt Block House, will begin a 10-month preservation and restoration project today. The project, funded with gifts from an anonymous donor and the Colcom Foundation, will provide needed repair and restoration work on the nearly 250 year old structure.

Built in 1764, the Block House is all that remains of Fort Pitt, the largest and most elaborate British fort in North America and a key defense during the French and Indian War in the Western Hemisphere. The Block House has stood in its same location for nearly 250 years – a witness to Pittsburgh’s history as a frontier fort, large industrial center, and leading modern city. Given to the Fort Pitt Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution of Allegheny County in 1894, the Block House has remained free and open to visitors from around the nation and the world for over a century.

Much of the architectural fabric of the two story structure is intact in that the stone foundation, bricks and timber elements are largely original to its 1764 construction. Both floors have a course of wooden gun loopholes going around the building, providing a 360 degree view for the soldiers who were stationed in the Block House to keep watch over the fort. The soldiers in the Block House and the other redoubts around the fort provided a first line of defense; they could fire their muskets through the gun loops at anyone trying to attack.

“Our highest priority is to insure the stability of the gun loop timbers,” said Ellis Schmidlapp, of Landmarks Design Associates, architect for the Block House restoration project. “We have contracted with TUV Rheinland Industrial Solutions, Inc. to perform radiographic inspection services on the timbers to assure that this preservation project is managed conscientiously to preserve the maximum amount of the original timbers. As with work on any historic building our efforts at the Block House will first focus on conservation, followed by preservation and lastly by restoration.”

Based on the information provided by the radiographic tests, work is projected to begin on the gun loops in April as some of the processes to be used are temperature sensitive. Masonry restoration and French drain repairs are expected to be complete by August and the final phase of the project, interior repairs, should be finished by the end of October 2013. The Block House will remain open to the public as much as possible during the restoration. Visitors are encouraged to stop by to see the progress, hours of operation as well as photos and updates will be posted on the Block House Facebook page.

“In 2014, the Fort Pitt Block House will celebrate its 250^thanniversary,” said Joanne Ostergaard, member of the Fort Pitt Society and Coordinator of Block House 250. “This restoration project is a critical first step in our efforts to create a city-wide celebration to recognize this significant milestone. The Block House is quite literally where Pittsburgh began, it is our goal to ensure that it continues to stand as an enduring symbol of American strength and tenacity so that future generations can know and appreciate the important role our region played in history.”

About The Fort Pitt Block House
The Fort Pitt Society is a supporting organization of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The Fort Pitt Society owns, operates and maintains the Fort Pitt Block House and the surrounding grounds as a historical site and museum, and promotes preservation, education, and public awareness of Pittsburgh's role in early American history. Located in Point State Park, the Fort Pitt Block House is free and open to the public Friday through Sunday between 10:30 am and 4:30 pm during the winter months. Call 412-471-1764 for more information or to schedule a tour.

About TÜV Rheinland Industrial Solutions
TÜV Rheinland Industrial Solutions is a full-service inspection, testing and certification company providing both field and laboratory inspection services, including all NDT methods, QC/QA functions, and material testing. A subsidiary of TUV Rheinland North America, TRIS laboratory and field services are ISO 17025 accredited, and its mechanical laboratory services are both Nadcap and ISO accredited. For more information, visit www.tuv.com/us.

Collaborative Lecture at Carnegie Mellon University, Jan.25

noreply@blogger.com (Duquesne History) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 19:46:00 +0000

Now that the Spring 2013 semester is in full swing, it's time to start marking up your calendars with fun, interesting, and educational events!

The Center for African American Urban Studies and the Economy (CAUSE) at Carnegie Mellon University will hold its next lecture as part of its 2012-2013 speakers series in collaboration with the Heinz History Center's exhibit, "From Slavery to Freedom," on Friday, January 25, 2013. Don't miss out!

Cross-Registration Opportunity at Pitt for SPRING 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Duquesne History) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 16:11:00 +0000

For more information, contact your academic advisor, departmental mentor, or graduate advisor.

Senior Spotlight: Zachary Uram

noreply@blogger.com (Duquesne History) — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 16:10:00 +0000

We continue our Senior Spotlight Series here on the Department of History blog with History major Zachary Uram. Did you know he spent a summer living in Panama?

Zachary Uram with Phi Alpha Theta faculty advisor Dr. Perry Blatz during the Spring 2012 induction ceremony

1. Where is your hometown?
Murrysville, PA

2. Why did you choose Duquesne?
Love the location, best school I got into, wanted to be close to home

3. Why did you become a History major?
Always loved History class!

4. Have you had a favorite History class during your time at Duquesne? If so, which one, and what did you like about it?
Historical Geography. I loved learning about locations and culture.

5. What are some things you've been involved with (or are currently involved with) while a student at Duquesne?
Phi Alpha Theta National History Honors Society and coaching a middle school lacrosse team

6. Tell us an interesting fact about you that most people might not know.
I'm a triple major in History, Secondary Social Studies, and International Relations.

7. What's something interesting that you've done in the past year?
I lived in Panama with a family for the summer.

8. What's your favorite thing about Pittsburgh?
Its sports teams!

9. Tell us your favorite movie.
The Prestige

10. Tell us your favorite book.
Pillars of the Earth

11. If you hadn't chosen History as your major, what would you have chosen and why?
Geography, because I love it.

12. What is something you'll miss about Duquesne once you graduate?
Close proximity to friends.

13. What are your plans following graduation?
Take a year off and think about things, teach English in Panama for the year off.

14. Any advice for our current and prospective History Majors?
Get involved and try new things. "A calm sea never made a skilled sailor."

Printsburgh: A Student-Curated Exhibition

noreply@blogger.com (Duquesne History) — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:14:00 +0000

PRINTSBURGH!
Printed Views of Pittsburgh, 1826-1885

A STUDENT-CURATED EXHIBITION at
CHATHAM UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY
in WOODLAND HALL (next to Café Rachel)

DECEMBER 6 to DECEMBER 19, 2012
WEEKDAYS 11:00 to 5:00, or by appointment

OPENING RECEPTION THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6
4:00 to 6:00 - light refreshments served!

Did you know that Chatham University owns a spectacular collection of finely detailed prints–lithographs, engravings, and wood engravings–that depict Pittsburgh between 1826 and 1885? Ranging from inexpensive broadsides to luxury engravings made in Europe, Chatham’s print collection is regarded as one of the city’s best. Six of our prints were featured in the groundbreaking exhibition of Pittsburgh prints at the Frick Art Museum in Point Breeze in 2008! If you’re a native Pittsburgher, a non-native interested in learning more about the city, or a history or printmaking buff, this exhibition is for you!

The prints in the exhibition were selected, researched, and installed by the students of ART 368: Museum Education and the Visual Arts. Educational materials, including labels and handouts written by the students, are available in the exhibition.

For more information, contact Professor Beth Roark, 412-365-1106 or roark@chatham.edu.

Senior Spotlight: Kaitlyn Garbarino

noreply@blogger.com (Duquesne History) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 13:30:00 +0000

We've got some real characters in our department. And senior Art History major Kaitlyn Garbarino is no exception. Spend 5 minutes with her, and you'll experience her infectious energy and sense of humor.

The photo she sent to us for this post embodies her perfectly.

Now get to know Kaitlyn by reading more about her below!

1. Where is your hometown?
-I'm from Johnstown, PA. Infamously known as "Floodcity".

2. Why did you choose Duquesne?
-Location meant the most to me so I wanted to stay close to home but still go to a good school. Honestly, I couldn't stand to be too far away from my friends!

3. Why did you become a Art History major?
-When I had art history classes in high school I realized I actually enjoyed doing the work. Then, once I saw and studied Bernini's "Apollo and Daphne," I was instantly hooked.

4. Have you had a favorite Art History class during your time at Duquesne? If so, which one, and what did you like about it?
-It's a tie between Dr. Stonge's "Art in the 20th Century" course when she introduced me to my profound love of German Expressionism and Dr. Sienkewicz's "American Art" class that introduced me to her!

5. What are some things you've been involved with (or are currently involved with) while a student at Duquesne?
-Forming the new Art/History Society and recruiting prospective students for Duquesne.

6. Tell us an interesting fact about you that most people might not know.
-I'm terrified of big dogs.

7. What's something interesting that you've done in the past year?
-Had my first internship at the Carnegie Museum of Art! It reaffirmed to me that curatorial work is exactly what I was meant to do.

8. What's your favorite thing about Pittsburgh?
-The Pens, Wood Street Gallery, yinzer dive bars, the growing culinary scene (Spoon and Meat & Potatoes), and the glowing stepped pyramid on the Gulf Tower.

9. Tell us your favorite movie.
-3:10 to Yuma

10. Tell us your favorite book.
-Anything written by Shakespeare.

11. If you hadn't chosen Art History as your major, what would you have chosen and why?
-From elementary school to my sophomore year of high school I had every intention of becoming a pediatrician...until I took my first art history class...

12. What is something you'll miss about Duquesne once you graduate?
-A meal plan.

13. What are your plans following graduation?
-I'm taking a gap year before I head off to grad school. In that time I want to find an apprenticeship at a gallery for some experience outside of a museum, backpack around Germany, and take some computer science classes to build up a diverse résumé.

14. Any advice for our current and prospective Art History Majors?
-Start preparing early. Get internships, get to know your teachers, and try to stand out as much as you can!

CALL FOR PAPERS: American Catholic Historical Association Spring Meeting

noreply@blogger.com (Duquesne History) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 15:02:00 +0000

Many thanks to graduate student Kate Lukaszewicz for bringing this conference to our attention! She also mentioned that if any of our graduate students are interested in creating a panel, she'd be happy to help propose something.

Also: remember that FUNDING is available for graduate students who have papers accepted to conferences. The Dean's Office will reimburse up to $500 for ONE conference during the academic year. For more information, see Laura in 603 COLH.

CALL FOR PAPERS

ACHA SPRING MEETING APRIL 4-6, 2013

Stonehill College (North Easton, Massachusetts)

The spring meeting of the American Catholic Historical Association will be held April 5-6, 2013 at Stonehill College in North Easton Massachusetts. We encourage all participants to arrive on April 4 for a welcoming reception. Paper presentations will commence at 9a.m., Friday, April 5.

Proposed individual papers or preferably panels are now being accepted. Submissions will close on January 15, 2013. Send proposals to the Program Chair, Richard Gribble, C.S.C., rgribble@stonehill.edu

Stonehill College is an undergraduate institution sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross since its founding in 1948. The campus is located approximately 20 miles southeast of Boston. The Boston and Providence airports are both approximately 45 minutes via a car from campus, although Boston is physically much closer.

All relevant information pertinent to hotels, transportation, and registration fees will be sent to the membership in late November.

Theme Area Courses for SPRING 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Duquesne History) — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 20:11:00 +0000

Looking for a particular theme area to fulfill for your Spring 2013 class schedule? Check out just some of the offerings from the Department of History and Art History program!

CREATIVE ARTS Theme Area

GLOBAL DIVERSITY Theme Area

SOCIAL JUSTICE Theme Area

SPRING 2013 Course Spotlight: HIST 266-01, Modern Britain

noreply@blogger.com (Duquesne History) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 20:09:00 +0000

Ever wonder where the famous "Keep Calm and Carry On" slogan comes from? Take HIST 266-01, Modern Britain, to find out!

Calls for Papers: Student Conference Opportunity

noreply@blogger.com (Duquesne History) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 17:05:00 +0000

The Duquesne University English Graduate Organization invites submissions to:

(anti)Foundations: An Interdisciplinary Conference

March 15-16, 2013

Duquesne University

With traditionalists hearkening for a return to founding principles while protestors of various stripes look forward to dismantling the very notion of norms themselves, questions about the foundations of societal structures occupy a central place in myriad contemporary debates. For the (anti)Foundations Conference—the Duquesne University English Graduate Organization invites considerations of societal structures, their foundations, and the ways that these structures are both reinforced and challenged by works of literature and culture.

We welcome proposals of academic papers from the humanities, arts, and sciences, as well as submissions of creative work from graduate and undergraduate students. Our aim is to establish a space of intellectual inquiry in which scholars can explore and subvert the idea of foundations as they reach across disciplines, genres, genders, religions, cultures, places, time periods, races, and classes.

Possible questions include, but are not limited to:

*How are nations made and unmade? How are borders and national identities constructed? How do literature and art create, reflect, or question the politics of nation and border?

*What is the significance of economic foundations? What issues can alternative economies—the home, the body, sexuality, desire, gifts—make visible? How do literary and cultural analyses create their own economies?

*How do institutions educate and/or discipline individuals and peoples? How do institutions discipline the subject and/or society? What are their foundational premises? How do social, political, and economic institutions shape and constrain education?

*How does literature participate in constructing or disrupting the foundation of the places and spaces we inhabit?

*How do social structures conceive normative bodies? How does literature create ways for disabled or non-normative bodies to transgress, alter, or ultimately reenact these foundational concepts?

*How do literary and social foundations converge to define sexuality and gender? How do readings of sexuality within texts question and complicate traditional foundations of gender norms? How does contemporary literary theory revise our understanding of texts that attempt to establish foundations of human sexuality?

*On what are notions of race founded? How can literature discuss race without affirming questionable premises of the very concept of race? How do cultural analyses of race present the relationship between individuals and societal structures?

Duquesne’s English Graduate Organization is honored to have Dr. Danielle St. Hilaire, author of the forthcoming book, Satan's Poetry: Fallenness and Poetic Tradition in Paradise Lost, as our keynote speaker. She will present her keynote address entitled: “Against Justice: Pity in Shakespeare’s King Lear” on Saturday afternoon. We will also host a reading on the first evening of the conference.

Submission Guidelines:
Submissions must be received by January 5, 2013 and should include the participant’s name, institutional affiliation, e-mail, phone number, a proposed title, and indicate whether you are a graduate or undergraduate student. For academic papers, please send a 250 word abstract; for creative submissions, please send a 250 word abstract as well as a representative sample of creative work. Panel proposals should explain the panel topic in a 250 word abstract and include a proposed title and the name, institutional affiliation, e-mail, phone number, and status (graduate or undergraduate) for each student on the panel along with abstracts for each paper making up the panel. Please submit your abstract via e-mail to afoundconference@gmail.com in a doc or pdf format and type “(anti)Foundations Conference Submission” in the subject line of the e-mail.

Senior Spotlight: Molly Lyons

noreply@blogger.com (Duquesne History) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 14:55:00 +0000

It's hard to believe that the academic year is already almost half over. It seems like just yesterday we were making copies of syllabi for the first day of classes!

And if it seems like only yesterday was the first day of classes for us, we bet it's safe to say that some of our seniors feel like it was only yesterday that they started their college careers. Time really does fly around here! But that doesn't mean that it's over yet! So, with the time we have left with our amazing seniors, we want to honor them and, of course, brag about them! {Yes, we do love to brag about your students!}

Today we're excited to feature senior double major Molly Lyons. Molly is preparing to graduate with a degrees in History and Public Relations. There's no telling the incredible things she'll do with all that knowledge when she leaves the hallowed halls of Duquesne!

Molly at the Pentagon

1. Where is your hometown?
I was born and raised in Pittsburgh--more specifically, Ross Township in the North Hills.

2. Why did you choose Duquesne?
I chose Duquesne because it has a nice urban setting; they have a great study abroad program, along with a nice academic scholarship.

3. Why did you become a History major?
I come from a long line of History lovers. But I find it so interesting and it has always been a passion of mine. The first time I knew I loved to study History was the 5th grade when we all did a whole project on the Civil War. That has been my favorite time period to study ever since that project. I just find it so interesting to study the past, why and when things happened. Along with the fact that sometimes the smallest things can change everything in the future.

4. Have you had a favorite History class during your time at Duquesne? If so, which one, and what did you like about it?
I have had two classes at Duquesne that I would consider my favorites. They are United States History from 1917-1945 and United States History from 1945-Present. They are both taught by Dr. Rishel. Unites States History is my favorite subject area to study. My second favorite time period is the FDR era to the present. All the reform movements and changing going on in the United States going on are really interesting to me. The way the United States shaped themselves after having a total economic meltdown and then fighting a horrific war. These are all things that influenced the way govern today and for years to come.

5. What are some things you've been involved with (or are currently involved with) while a student at Duquesne?
As a student at Duquesne, I am involved in many things. I am in the Service Sorority, Gamma Sigma Sigma. We are a service sorority, which means our whole purpose is to give back. Each sister does a minimum of 25 hours of community service a semester. I am also the Entertainment Chair of Relay for Life. This is the biggest event that Colleges Against Cancer puts on every year. We work hard all year to create Duquesne’s very own Relay on Campus in April. I was able to be an Orientation Leader for the first time this year. It was so fun, but I also learned how much work and effort is put into a totally student run organization that does so much for the incoming freshmen. I am also in Omicron Delta Kappa, which is an honors society on campus. Although I cherish all of the organizations that I previously listed, my most proud and cherished memories from Duquesne will be from Duquesne’s Italian Campus. I went the spring of my sophomore year, spring 2011. It was the best time of my life, and I made friends there that will remain in my life far after graduation.

Molly showing her Pittsburgh pride in the streets of Rome

6. Tell us an interesting fact about you that most people might not know.
Most people do not know that the summer after my junior year of high school I went to France for two weeks with a school trip and that is when I became obsessed with traveling.

7. What's something interesting that you've done in the past year?
Nothing I have done will be more interesting than living in Rome for three months. It was actually within the last two years, but nothing will top how interesting that was for me to be living in different culture, learning by doing.

8. What's your favorite thing about Pittsburgh?
My favorite thing about Pittsburgh is definitely the people and culture that is created through them. We have such an incredible group of people here in Pittsburgh that is so rich in individual culture and yet we can all come together for a Steelers game. The warm you feel with the people in this city is incredible, making it one of the most livable cities in America. I would love nothing more than to be able to stay here and create a home for myself after graduation.

9. Tell us your favorite movie.
My favorite movie is definitely Forest Gump. I love the comedy but also the timeline of contemporary American history with a twist. It exposes history in a fun way for people who are not exactly that interested in it.

10. Tell us your favorite book.
My favorite book is a tie between The Catcher in the Rye, and A Tale of Two Cities. The Catcher in the Rye is a great book that I had to read in high school. The reading and the way it was taught to me was just so interesting. I have always had a secret love for Holden Caulfield. I also really love the French Revolution and A Tale of Two Cities gives a twist to a story in that time period.

11. If you hadn't chosen History as your major, what would you have chosen and why?
I am actually a double major. My other major is Public Relations and Advertising. I chose this other major because I would really like to be able to work in a setting that helps out companies. It is also a very up and coming field where a company really cannot be without a PR agent no matter what field it is in. My ideal job would be to work in the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. as their PR director.

12. What is something you'll miss about Duquesne once you graduate?
I will miss my friends the most when I graduate; we are all going to be going separate ways around the world. I will also miss the professors that have made me who I am today. Without every professor that I have come into contact with I would not be the person I am today.

13. What are your plans following graduation?
My plans following graduation are to get a job in Public Relations. Hopefully I will be able to stay around Pittsburgh; however I am prepared to move where I am able to get a job.

14. Any advice for our current and prospective History Majors?
My advice would be to create a plan today for what you want to do in the future. The four years will go by very quickly and before you know it you will be applying to graduate. I know it sounds cliché, but it is true. Have fun while it is still acceptable in society.

SPRING 2013 Course Spotlight: ARHY 376-01, Pop Art to the Present

noreply@blogger.com (Duquesne History) — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 16:03:00 +0000

Registration for Spring 2013 is in full swing! Do you need a course to fulfill your Creative Arts Theme Area? Or do you have a love for pop culture? Maybe you're an Andy Warhol fan.

Then ARHY 376-01, Pop Art to the Present, could be just the course for you!

{History Majors: you're allowed to count an Art History course toward your major requirements!}

Student Spotlight: Abigail Jones

noreply@blogger.com (Duquesne History) — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 16:09:00 +0000

We love featuring our incredible students here on the Department of History blog. Call us braggers, but it's true! This semester, we've featured seniors getting ready to go out into the world, juniors who have worked on projects for the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and double majors who are determined to make a difference in the world.

Yeah, they're all pretty awesome.

And now we add junior Abigail Jones, History/Art History Double Major Extraordinaire, to the list.

Abby in front of a Greek temple in Paestum, Italy

1. Where is your hometown?

I was born in Lawton, Oklahoma, lived in Syracuse, New York for a few years, and spent the majority of my life in Glenville, Pennsylvania, which is a little over 4 hours away.

2. Why did you choose Duquesne?

I chose Duquesne because I come from a very small town, so the idea of living in a city appealed to me, but I also liked that we had our own little “bluff”. I had never even been to Pittsburgh before I visited Duquesne for the first time, and it seemed like a really cool city.

3. Why did you become a History major?

I’ve wanted to study history as long as I can remember. I am interested in literally everything, and once I find something I’m interested in I have to learn everything about it. So studying history allows me to learn about anything and everything I want. I also am an art history major, which I feel complements history very nicely, and I like that I also get to analyze how visual culture has affected history.

4. Have you had a favorite History class during your time at Duquesne? If so, which one, and what did you like about it?

My favorite class so far is actually one that I’m taking right now – Public History. I think it’s incredibly fascinating to study how the public perceives history, and how as historians, we have a huge amount of influence in analyzing, preserving, and integrating history into everyday life. Another part of the class is service learning, so I’ve been working in the archives at the Smithfield United Church of Christ, which is very interesting.

5. What are some things you've been involved with (or are currently involved with) while a student at Duquesne?

I am involved in Duquesne’s Student Government Association, where I am a Senator and chair of the Government Operations committee. I also am a member of the Junior Class Council, where I am the Service Chair. Additionally, I work with the Office of International Programs as a Peer Advisor for Duquesne’s Italian Campus.

6. Tell us an interesting fact about you that most people might not know.

I am obsessed with British television! Mostly Doctor Who, but also Sherlock, Downton Abbey, The Inbetweeners, Skins, The IT Crowd; I just love it all.

7. What's something interesting that you've done in the past year?

I studied abroad in Rome last fall, and it was definitely a defining period of my life – I got to have class in the Roman Forum, the Colosseum, the Vatican Museums, and a ton of other awesome places. I also traveled to Istanbul, London, Dublin, Locarno, and Berlin.

Abby and her mother in Philly

8. What's your favorite thing about Pittsburgh?

I love so many things about Pittsburgh. It’s a city with very rich history, especially in terms of urban revitalization/preservation, which I’m really interested in. I also love our museums! The dinosaur section of the Carnegie museum is my absolute favorite.

9. Tell us your favorite movie.

This is a really difficult question for me because I have so many favorites. But I’d probably have to say the Indiana Jones series have consistently been my favorites, I watch them over and over again (my favorite is The Last Crusade).

10. Tell us your favorite book.

This is nearly impossible for me to narrow down, but I’d say that my top 3 favorite books are One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez, Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk, and the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin.

11. If you hadn't chosen History as your major, what would you have chosen and why?

If I wasn’t studying history or art history I probably would have chosen Chemistry. It’s always been my second favorite subject after history and I think it would be really interesting to learn about the scientific side of preservation and conservation of buildings and artifacts.

12. What is something you'll miss about Duquesne once you graduate?

I’ll definitely miss the sense of the Duquesne community. I think Duquesne is a school that has an awesome sense of pride, which translates into students having incredible amounts of drive and dedication to being successful both academically and in serving others.

13. What are your plans following graduation?

After I graduate I plan on attending graduate school, I’m not sure what specific program I want to go into but probably something along the lines of public history/museum studies/historic preservation.

14. Any advice for our current and prospective History Majors?

Take advantage of all that Duquesne’s history department has to offer! Every professor I’ve had is so incredibly interesting, and you can learn a lot from them. Once I discovered what aspect of history I was most interested in I found an incredible resource of faculty that worked with me to make sure I was able to pursue my interests.

Department of History Merchandise!!

noreply@blogger.com (Duquesne History) — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 16:12:00 +0000

For a long time now, we've wanted to offer our students and faculty the opportunity to show their Department of History pride through t-shirts, mugs, and other "swag."

And now we're finally able to offer you these items at incredibly discounted prices! After receiving some feedback about what types of things you might be interested in, we're currently taking orders for the following items:

t-shirts
11 oz. ceramic mugs
13 oz. travel mugs

If you're interested in purchasing any of these items, please bring your money (cash or check made payable to Duquesne University) to the Department of History main office (603 COLH) by Tuesday, November 12, 2012. The orders will be placed at the end of that week. Show your love for Duquesne History!

1. T-Shirts
$10 each
available sizes: S, M, L, XL, XXL

2. 11. oz. Ceramic Mug
$5 each

3. 13 oz. Travel Mug
$8 each

Meet 75 WWII Veterans!

noreply@blogger.com (Duquesne History) — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 18:02:00 +0000

Don't miss the opportunity of a lifetime on Saturday, November 10, 2012 at 10 a.m. to hear 75 World War II veterans tell their stories in person in the Union Ballroom.

This storytelling hour occurs in conjunction with the Annual Veterans Day Breakfast, which is held each year here at Duquesne University, partnered with Friends of Danang and Shepherd's Heart Veteran's Home. You do not need to attend the breakfast in order to enjoy the free storytelling hour at 10 a.m. You are more than welcome, however, to attend the breakfast, and tickets may be purchased for $35/person. More info available here.

These veterans will be representing all branches of service and will speak about their experiences in the war, from Pearl Harbor to V-J Day. A slide show of old photographs of the veterans during the war will accompany their stories. The program will end at approximately 11am.

We hope to see you there!

SPRING 2013 Course Spotlight: ARHY 285-01, Issues of Social Justice in Visual Culture

noreply@blogger.com (Duquesne History) — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 17:08:00 +0000

Do you need to fulfill your Social Justice Theme Area course requirement? Ever thought you might want to take an Art History course? Now's your chance.

Instructor Christine Lorenz will be walking you through the ways that our visual culture help us understand inequality, the fight for justice, dignity, solidarity, and other issues of social justice in our society in ARHY 285-01, Issues of Social Justice in Visual Culture.

Leave a slot open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:15-1:30 p.m. for this thought-provoking course.