Department Updates

History Comes Alive at WIU!

WIU's History Department, with 16 award-winning faculty members who are both outstanding teachers and noted scholars in their fields, offers the opportunity to experience the full range of historical study, from the ancient to the modern world, on all continents. Many of our undergraduate History majors participate in undergraduate research projects, working individually with faculty members; a number of our majors have received grant funding to support their research. Graduate students' education also involves significant research, which is eligible for generous funding through the Department's graduate research program. See below for news of your fellow History majors' activities and accomplishments.

History's Spring 2009 Honors Graduates

History majors, minors, and graduate students are invited to participate in activities sponsored by one or both of our Department's student organizations, the Associated Students of History (open to all) and Phi Alpha Theta (the History honor society). In addition to regular informal gatherings, our student groups co-sponsor speakers and field trips. Phi Alpha Theta is developing an on-line journal, the Western Illinois Journal of History, which will publish our History students' most outstanding research. History's Spring 2009 Honor Roll of Outstanding Majors is now available on-line.

History students at ASH "Trivia Night"

Undergraduate History majors should get to know our Undergraduate Advisor, Ralph Heissinger, if you haven't already. Ralph can help you choose from among the wide variety of undergraduate courses available to complete the History and History-Teacher Certification majors. Ralph is also quite knowledgeable about the wealth of scholarship opportunities available to History majors at Western.

New History Majors' Cook-Out, Fall 2009

Graduate History students should be sure to meet regularly with our Graduate Director, Dr. Virginia Jelatis, to be sure you stay on track with your plans for completing your graduate degree. WIU's History faculty offer a wealth of courses for graduate credit, including research and readings seminars as well as lecture courses. In addition, the History Department offers several opportunities for scholarships and awards for History graduate students.

History Grad Students and Faculty Gather at Grad Student Reception, Fall 2009

Our graduates have gone on to pursue a wide variety of careers in teaching, government, business, the military and many other fields. In addition to helping one understand changes in societies over time and place, the study of history provides one with the abilities to ask relevant questions, to draw meaningful conclusions from disparate data, and to present those conclusions clearly and cogently in oral and written forms. Recent studies by major American corporations indicate that these skills are more important to future success than any specific technical training. Studying history is excellent preparation for any career in business, education, journalism, government, or the military, among other possibilities.

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Recent alumna and current Wisconsin Ph.D. candidate Melissa Sartore on a research trip to the National Archives in London, visiting Trafalgar Square

Our History Majors in the News