News and Opportunities

Faculty Presentations and Publications

Allan Austin  recently published "DC Comics and the American Dilemma of Race" (co-authored with Patrick Hamilton) in George Washington University's History News Network in March 2020. He also recently published "An Age of (Super)Heroes?: Hollywood and the 'Global War on Terror'" in the online magazine Vault of Culture. In November 2019, Dr. Austin published All New, All Different? A History of Race and the American Superhero (co-authored with Patrick Hamilton), University of Texas Press, 2019. The book was recently selected for the John G. Cawelti Award for best textbook / primer in Popular Culture, by the Popular Culture Association of America.

Jennifer Black recently published Branding Trust: Advertising and Trademarks in Nineteenth-Century America (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2024). In 2023 she was elected to the board of editors for Enterprise & Society (Cambridge University Press). Her recent paper, "Networks for Sale: Advertising and Infrastructure in the US, 1830-1860" (2024), was awarded the Martha Moore Trescott Prize for the Best Paper at the Intersection of Business History and the History of Technology by the Business History Conference.

Student News

History Secondary Education students had a 100% first-attempt pass rate on their state board exams for the 2023-24 year.

• Congratulations to rising senior Jack Regenye, an outfielder on the university Baseball team and Division III-National Champs! Jack is a History- Secondary Education major who completed his History thesis in April 2024 on the conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination of JFK, all the while helping his team to reach the national championships. 

• Erin McGee and Vivian Wright were selected to participate in the SURF fellowship program for the 2024 season, for their research on fuel-station laws and educational testing and retention, respectively. 

• We were proud to induct the following students into Phi Alpha Theta, the History honors society, in 2023-2024: Daniel Chlebove, Mitchell Dowling, Erin McGee, Lily Metress, David Miller, Jack Regenye, Gregory Rinehimer, Xander Shaner, and Rachel Shook

Graduate Placements

Class of 2020

• Sarah Sporko is Education Coordinator at Eckley Miner's Village, Hazelton, PA. 
• Allison McEllheran, High-school teacher, Our Lady of Mercy School, Rochester, NY.  

Class of 2019

• Gina Cotticchio, Master's in Library Science at St. John's University (Queens, NY).

Class of 2017

• Damien Effird, Self-employed tutor and Social Media Manager for the musical group, The Up and Up (Durham, NC)
• Rebecca Schnable, Claims Representative, Progressive Insurance
• Zachary Stritzinger, Widener Commonwealth Law School (Harrisburg, PA)

Class of 2016

• Rebeka Buczeskie, Widener Commonwealth Law School (Harrisburg, PA)
• Kyle Coslett, Mohegan Sun Arena, Wilkes-Barre, PA
• Ray Ellis, Graduate School (History), University of Nebraska-Kearney
• Patrick Gallagher, Graduate School (Military History), University of Norwich (VT); also working in logistics management
• AJ Mancini, Local government, Avoca, PA
• Mason Moher, Graduate School (History), The New School for Social Research (New York, NY)
• Nicole Negron, Education Coordinator, Eckley Miner's Village (Hazleton, PA); and Graduate School (Museum Studies), Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD)
• Collin Sibilia, Graduate School (History), Villanova University (Philadelphia, PA); also Assistant Coach for Women's Volleyball at the University of the Sciences (Philadelphia, PA)
• Cailey Ware, Villanova Law School (Philadelphia, PA)

Class of 2015

• Jonathan Grybos, Junior High / High-School teacher, Shamokin Area School District (Shamokin, PA)

• Matthew LaPorte, IT Services Assistant, Misericordia University (Dallas, PA)
• Matthew Levine, Graduate School (History), Bloomsburg University (Bloomsburg, PA)
• Brian Quinlan, Social studies teacher, grades 6-8, St. Joseph the Worker School (Orefield, PA)
• Mara Zumchak, Middle School teacher, Saint Thomas the Apostle School (Glen Mills, PA)

Class of 2014

• Catherine Becker, Assistant Director of Admissions at Misericordia University (Dallas, PA)
• Rebekah Evangalista, Doctor of Physical Therapy, Misericordia University (Dallas, PA)

Class of 2013

• Nathan Delmar, Law Librarian at Fordham University (Bronx, New York)
• James Cerulli, Assistant Vice President of Operations Planning, Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad (Port Clinton, PA)
• Patrick Smith, High School Teacher, Marian Catholic High School (Tamaqua, PA)
• Andrew Zesk, Graduate School (Archives), New York University (New York, NY)

Class of 1996

• Nicholena Iacuzio Rushton, Assistant Public Defender, Delaware County (DE)

Class of 1992

• Jill C. Gorman, Attorney, Temple University (Philadelphia, PA)

• Scott Helfrich, Associate Director of Residential Life, Columbia University (New York, NY)

Class of 1984

• Kenneth Wolensky, Historian, Pennsylvania Historical & Museums Commission (Harrisburg, PA)

Class of 1983

• Michael Dunleavy, Governor of Alaska (beg. 2019)

Class of 1977

• Elizabeth Craig Hughes, Executive Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, Fiduciary Trust International (New York, NY)

MU History Alum Mike Dunleavy (Class of 1983) wins Gubernatorial race in Alaska

History alumni have obtained employment at:

• Elementary and Special Ed Teachers
• Professors/Instructors at Universities
• Middle and High School Teachers
• College Administrator – SUNY
• Librarian – Historical Institutions
• Writer – for Governor Milton Shapp
• Owner/CEO – Assoc. American Publishers
• CW2 Aviator – United States Army
• Historian – PA History & Museum Comm.
• School Board of Directors
• Assistant Public Defender – Delaware County
• United States Government
• Department of Homeland Security
• Pennsylvania State Police
• McKean County Juvenile Probation
• Luzerne County Courts
• Commodity Futures Trading Commission
• International Student Exchange
• United States Department of Justice
• Manager–U.S. House of Representatives 
• VP/CCO - Fiduciary Trust International
• Maximas Federal Services
• Numerous students went on to be Lawyers