Director's Welcome
As this is the inaugural newsletter, I am going to attempt to make up for some lost time. To be sure, items of note will be left out – a corrective to which I welcome your contributions for the next letter. Now, I invite you to sit back, grab a beverage, and read about what keeps those of us in the History Department from becoming relics of the past.
I came to Carroll College sixteen years ago, and have served, with the indulgence of my colleagues, as the Chair for almost ten years. Allow me to brag on these very people just a bit. For a small department, our breadth of classes is pretty impressive. From revolutions to slavery to food, we are privileged to explore our historical passions, and are animated by the thoughts and enthusiasm of our students. As the majority of students need a history course to graduate, we are privileged to see those from History and from virtually every other department on campus. Rarely does a class go by that I do not leave more enlightened than when it began. From an engineering student I learned the measure of a cubit, students in Anthrozoology inspired me to take a deep dive into the world of medieval mythical animals, and my History of Food students have taken me on many journeys into their own food cultures. My colleagues tell similar stories. On a side note, all three of us encourage lively in-class discussion and debate. In a national (even international) climate where many have abandoned all attempts at civil discourse, respect and civility are alive and thriving in history courses, and all across the Carroll College campus.
Outside of the classroom, all members of the department dedicate time to our intellectual lives. Book chapters, journal articles, and conference presentations bear our names each year, and I am proud to announce that with a forthcoming book by Dr. DJ Cash, all three department members will have published a book, and have future publications coming out in the near future. I must stress that these are not self-serving pursuits. What we learn as we research and write becomes material that keep our classes timely, academically rigorous, and quite truthfully a great deal of fun for all. This life of the mind also ensures that we are able to guide student research and writing with skill, knowledge, and a generous helping of compassion for the frustrations that inevitably arise for us all. If you happen to be in Helena or its near environs, and are a person of a certain age, please considering auditing one of our classes. The fee is nominal, and I can speak for all of us that auditors are most welcome, bringing with them perspectives and experiences that provide yet another dimension.
As the department seeks to respond to national and world events, we will be offering a cross-disciplinary panel that addresses the tragic situation in Israel and Palestine later this semester. It had been my hope that this panel would be a retrospective, with hostages released, aid pouring into Gaza, and a measure of the calm necessary to look toward a safer and more just future for all. It seems, once again, that my attempts at prediction have failed. Please watch for it on the Carroll calendar of events. We would love to see you.
While it would be impossible to detail the successes of all of our students, this newsletter offers an opportunity for you to hear from three of them. As to the many others, post-Carroll we have sent them off to graduate school both in the US and overseas, out into communities as secondary education teachers, placed them as interns at the Montana Historical Society and the Carter Center in Atlanta, and launched them as members of the workforce in libraries, in museums, and in historic preservation to name just a few. One even did several tours with the Marines in military intelligence, and is now completing nursing school. Our students are veterans, traditional and non-traditional students, athletes, members of the speech and debate team, theatre majors/minors, and one is hoping to continue competing in rodeo during graduate school. Please see the note from Dr. Dean Pavlakis for more about the research activities of our most recent students. Further afield, members of the department have led students to the Middle East (twice), to Ireland, to Cuba, and to Uganda. For some participants, these faculty-led study abroad courses were their first time leaving the United States. I often find myself in awe of just how interesting and courageous our students are. There has also been lots to celebrate – our students have married, had a baby or two, and Drs. Fregulia and Pavlakis have recently entered the joyful world of grandparenthood. I should also note that to be closer to his grandchildren, Dr. Pavlakis will be retiring at the end of this academic year. We are currently searching for his successor, as it would be impossible to replace him.
Thank you for taking a bit of time to catch up with us. If you have news of any sort, please share it at the email below so we can include your updates in the next letter.
Pax,
Jeanette M. Fregulia, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Chair, Department of History
jfregulia@carroll.edu – 406.447.4951 (office)