News, Events, and Opportunities

Opportunities and Activities

Expert Research

Faculty-Directed Research

Before graduation, history majors complete a major research project that culminates in their undergraduate thesis. Each student will work one-on-one with a faculty member to design a research plan, conduct research, and synthesize their findings into an original paper and poster presentation. Past topics have included conspiracy theories related to the JFK assassination, the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle, the Woodstock music festival, repatriation of Holocaust survivors after the war, political cartoons during presidential elections, and a range of local history topics. These are preserved in the library's institutional repository.

Students receive summer research stipends and course credit to work directly with faculty on research as part of the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program. Since 2015, students in history have worked on several public history exhibits with local historical societies to preserve history in the Wyoming Valley.

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF)

As part of a special Presidential Initiative--the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships-- students in History and Government have the opportunity to work one-on-one with faculty on dedicated research projects during the summer term. The benefits of working as a student research fellow are numerous: students gain valuable professional experience working on dedicated projects that often lead to publications and exhibits, and they receive generous financial support for the summer term.

In the summer of 2015 Dr. Black supervised the first student research team to be part of the program in the Department of History and Government. During the ten-week session, Dr. Black's students work intensively with collections from the Greater Pittston Historical Society, providing a much-needed service to the community while learning the practice of Public History and museum work.

Since then, students in the SURF program have continued to build important, collaborative relationships with members of the local and regional community. Their exhibitions have been featured in local and national media, and the program has served as a model for collaborative work at other institutions. An online showcase for this work can be found at MU Local History Projects.

Applications for the SURF program open in the fall. For more information visit the

Speakers and Master Classes

Each year, the History and Government Department brings important speakers to campus to enrich the learning experiences of our students. Some of these may be former government officials, some are well-known authors or scholars, others have had extraordinary experiences they share with our students. Generous funding from the Soyka Fund for the Humanities often helps to make these opportunities available for History and Government students.

Past speakers have included Frances Townsend, Homeland Security Advisor to President George W. Bush (2013), and Tim Jarvis, Environmental Scientist, Author, and Polar Explorer (2015).

Study Away

Semester in Washington, DC

Students in History and Government have the opportunity to spend a semester in Washington, DC, studying at American University and working at a government or non-profit agency in our nation's capital. The AU program, one of the oldest of its kind in the country, brings students from across the country to DC for semester or summer study each year. Students can choose from a variety of programs to study, including Journalism & New Media; American Politics; Foreign Policy; Religion, Politics, Peace & Security; Justice & Law; International Law & Organizations; and Sustainable Development. While at AU, students participate in a weekly seminar and work as interns in a DC agency. They earn valuable professional experience and course credit to transfer toward their degrees in History. Students interested in the program should talk with their advisor, and visit AU's Semester Away website.

Study Abroad/Away

History majors have the unique opportunity to participate in Misericordia’s Study Abroad / Study Away programs. In the past several years, MU developed several new partnerships to enhance the study away choices for our students. Students may choose to study abroad or away for a semester or summer session, and credits earned during the semester / summer away can be applied toward the Misericordia degree. Recent students in the major have traveled to Australia, Ireland, Montreal, and Washington, DC to earn course credit and valuable professional experience. More information about Misericordia’s Study Abroad / Away Programs can be found here

Professional Experience

Internships

The History Program has been very successful in placing students in internships in the local area. Past history students have worked with the National Park Service at the Steamtown Historic Site, at the Lackawanna Coal Mine, the Anthracite Heritage Museum, Eckley Miner’s Village, Luzerne County Historical Society, the Misericordia Archives, the Greater Pittston Historical Society, the National Federation for the Blind (Baltimore, MD), and the National Archives and Records Administration (Washington, DC). Pre-Law students are required to complete two semesters of internships at a qualified law firm. Students have the opportunity for paid internships on and off-campus. Read more about our students’ internship experiences by visiting the Interns’ Corner blog. For more information on history internships, interested students should contact Dr. Black.

Special Projects

Students in the History Program have a variety of opportunities to work on special projects with faculty, with members of the community, and with other students. Such projects include working on exhibits locally and on campus, volunteering for history-related events, taking oral histories from members of the community, and organizing special events for the community.

Many of our students’ local history projects are featured online at MU Local History Projects.

Service Learning

The History Department offers several service-learning courses that give students the opportunity for experiential learning and participation in service to the larger community. These courses are intended to deepen students' understanding of ideas and themes presented in the classroom and encourage students' development as engaged citizens. Recent service-learning placements have included a range of local organizations, including the Greater Pittston Historical Society, the Scranton Anthracite Heritage Museum, the American Red Cross, the Humane Society of Lackawanna County, the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, Kids Café, and the Peace Center.

Faculty-Led Trips

The Misericordia University campus is beautiful, and Dallas is a peaceful community conducive to a focus on learning; in addition, the college's proximity to major east coast cities provides great opportunities for cultural enrichment. Students can have memorable experiences that bring courses alive. Trips for academic groups and clubs can make the Misericordia experience that much more special. In the past few years, history faculty and students have traveled to Philadelphia, Seneca Falls, Gettysburg, and New York City. In addition, history faculty have traveled with honors students on trips to Boston and Washington, D.C.

Student Organizations

Student Clubs

The Department of History sponsors the History Club. Each year, these clubs participate in a variety of fund-raising and service projects. Service projects in the past few years have included activities such as collecting oral histories for the Back Mountain Historical Association, participating in Bowl for Kids' Sake, and judging projects at the local History Day competition. In addition to these activities, the club presents a great opportunity to get to know your fellow students, majors and non-majors alike, in an informal and welcoming atmosphere. All students, regardless of major, are invited to join these student clubs. Interested students should contact the department chair for more information.

Phi Alpha Theta

Students who meet the academic requirements will be invited to join Phi Alpha Theta, the national history honor society. Undergraduate students must complete at least 12 semester hours in History (4 courses) with a GPA of at least 3.1 in History and have a GPA of 3.4 or better overall.

Membership in the society provides opportunities for students to publish their work in the society's journal, The Historian, and to present at regional and national meetings.

HISTORY LINKS

The following list includes links to professional organizations, archival repositories, and other websites of interest to History Majors.

History Poster Presentations 2024

News and Events

Recent Faculty Publications

(In order of publication date)

Black, Jennifer M. Branding Trust: Advertising and Trademarks in Nineteenth-Century America. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2024.

Carso, Brian. Gideon's Revolution: A Novel. Ithaca NY: Three Hills/Cornell University Press, 2023.

Austin, Allan W., and Patrick L. Hamilton. All New, All Different?: A History of Race and the American Superhero. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2019.

Black, Jennifer M. Anthracite Photographers: Photographers of Anthracite, Exhibit Catalog (with Bode Morin, John Fielding, and Sarah Sporko). Scranton, PA: Anthracite Heritage Museum, 2018.

Black, Jennifer M. Machines that Made History: Landmarks in Mechanical Engineering. New York: ASME Press, 2014.

Austin, Allan W. Quaker Brotherhood: Interracial Activism and the American Friends Service Committee, 1917-1950. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2012.

Hajkowski, Thomas. The BBC and National Identity in Britain, 1922-53. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2010.

Austin, Allan W., and Huping Ling, editors. Asian American History and Culture: An Encyclopedia. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2010.

Wright, David C., Jr., and Allan W. Austin, editors. Space and Time: Essays on Visions of History in Science Fiction and Fantasy Television. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2010.

Carso, Brian. Whom Can We Trust Now? The Meaning of Treason in the United States, from the Revolution through the Civil War. Lanham MD: Lexington Books, 2006.

Austin, Allan W. From Concentration Camp to Campus: Japanese American Students and World War II. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2004.

Faculty Presentations and Publications 2017-18

Jennifer Black published, “Gender in the Academy: Recovering the Hidden History of Women’s Scholarship on Scrapbooks and Albums,” in the Fall 2018 issue of the journal, Material Culture. In April 2019, Dr. Black presented her paper "Policing Fakes: Early Trademark Regulation in the US," at the Spring Research Seminar of the Center for the History of Business, Technology, and Society hosted by the Hagley Museum and Library in Wilmington, DE. This November, Dr. Black will present "'The Genius of Pictorial Advertising': Images and Consumer-Centered Advertising in the US, 1830-1900" at the Commercial Pictures and the Arts and Technics of Visual Persuasion conference in Delaware.

Dr. Black also recently finished mentoring a student exhibit on the changing scope of Main Street Pittston, PA, which you can read more about here. Dr. Black was also recently recognized by Proclamation of Recognition by the City of Pittston, for her work with the Greater Pittston Historical Society and MU students. She published two articles in 2017: “Exchange Cards: Advertising, Album-making, and the Commodification of Sentiment in the Gilded Age,” Winterthur Portfolio 51, no. 1 (2017): 1-56; and “Citizenship and Caricature: Teaching the American Past with Images,” in Art & Public History: Approaches, Opportunities, and Challenges, ed. Rebecca Bush & K. Tawny Paul (New York: Rowman & Littlefield, 2017), 47-70. In April 2018, Dr. Black will present a paper at the annual meeting of the Business History Conference.

Christopher Stevens published an article on the Libyan Debate on June 20, 2017 in the Diplomacy and Statecraft Journal. The study argues that the "coercive diplomacy perspective needs slight modification to account for the Libyan case."

The Department of History and Government congratulates the following faculty on receiving research grant funding for 2018-2019:

Dr. Allan Austin, “The Limits of Racial Sympathy: Popular Culture & Remembering the Wartime Exile & Incarceration of Japanese Americans”
Dr. Jennifer Black, “Branding Trust: Advertising & Trademarks in the US, C. 1830-1920”
Dr. Rebecca Padot, “The Active Shooter Policies of Colleges in a Post 9/11 Era”
Dr. Christopher Stevens, “Image Theory & Strategic Relations in the Post-Soviet Space”
Dr. Luke Williams, “Parties Matter, Even When they’re Weak: Party Battles in the Progressive Era”

The Department of History and Government congratulates the following faculty on receiving research grant funding for 2019-2020:

Dr. Allan Austin, for "Finding (White) Redemption in Japanese American Confinement: Snow Falling on Cedars and Historical Narratives of Exile and Incarceration."
Dr. Jennifer Black, for "Branding Trust: Advertising & Trademarks in the US, 1830-1920."
Dr. Rebecca Padot, for "The 2018 Tax Law and the Impact on Nonprofits."
Dr. Yanqiu Zheng, for "In Search of Admiration and Respect: Chinese Cultural Diplomacy in the US, 1875-1975," and "'Chinese' Food in Postcolonial Taiwan: Business and Narration, 1954-1979."
Dr. Luke Williams, “Parties Matter, Even When they’re Weak: Party Battles in the Progressive Era”
Dr. Christopher Stevens, for "Image, Theory and Strategic Relations in the Post-Soviet Space."

Past News & Events

Faculty in the History and Government Department have recently had their work featured on The Academic Minute

Chinese Cultural Diplomacy in the United States, 1875-1974

Find out more about how cultural diplomacy helped China get on track to become a major world player again. Dr. Yanqui Zheng, professor of history and government, delivered a 2 1/2 minute podcast entitled "Chinese Cultural Diplomacy in the United States, 1875-1974" on The Academic Minute, looking into the history of two distinctive Chinese pedagogies.

Click here to listen

The Secret History of Race and Comics

What do superheroes show us about ourselves?

This is the question that Dr. Patrick Hamilton, professor and chair of English, explored during his 2 1/2 minute podcast on The Academic Minute. The podcast, "The Secret History of Race and Comics," draws upon the book he and Dr. Allan Austin of MU's History and Government department co-wrote.

Click here to listen

The Academic Minute features researchers from colleges and universities around the world, keeping listeners abreast of what's new and exciting in the academy and of all the ways academic research contributes to solving the world's toughest problems and to serving the public good.

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

TED 2021-22 First-attempt Pass Rates

MU Secondary Ed Citizenship Pass Rate 100% (State Pass Rate = 75%)

Sean Boylan, senior history/secondary education major, was named to the 2021 Academic All-America® Division III baseball team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). The team recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.

Ashleigh Rose (History-for-Business) is spearheading the effort to market "Public History in the Pandemic" as part of her capstone thesis for Fall 2020.

Sara Shields is building a digital exhibit on African Americans in the New Deal, as part of her public history coursework for Fall 2020.

Students in Dr. Black's Introduction to Public History course (Fall 2020), are supporting a major collecting project to document the experiences of the Misericordia community during the COVID-19 pandemic. The project is funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, and organized by Maureen Cech, Misericordia's University Archivist. Read more about their work here.

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 Majors Present Research at the Pennsylvania Historical Association Annual Meeting.

In October 2017, history majors Briana Scorey and Amber Kelley presented research posters at the Pennsylvania Historical Association conference in Scranton, PA.

Nicole Negron (class of 2016) recently accepted the position of Education and Volunteer Coordinator at Eckley Miners' Village and Museum.

Quaker Project in the News

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

Intern's Blog

Misericordia places students in professional internships across the region. Follow their experiences through our special interns' blog.

In the spring of 2016, GLNS major John Eisenhauer (class of 2017), studied foreign policy at American University in Washington, DC, as part of MU’s Semester in DC program. John is shown here with Congressman David Jolly of Florida. While in DC, John also interned in Jolly’s office in the House of Representatives.

GLNS Major Recalls Meeting with Justice Scalia

Students Collaborate with Center for Nursing History to Preserve Regional History

Women's History Month Events

Dr. Jennifer Black, Associate Professor of History & Government at Misericordia University in Dallas, PA, speaking about her new study, "Branding Trust: Advertising and Trademarks in 19th- Century America"

WVIA Public Media · Jennifer Black; April 23 2024

Additional News

2024 Tutor of the Year - Erin McGee

The Student Success Center is proud to announce that this year’s Tutor of the Year is Erin McGee!

Erin McGee is a Junior from Peckville, PA, double majoring in History and Accounting.

Erin has been a peer tutor for nearly 2 years. Her longevity and the volume of courses that she has supported at Misericordia University demonstrates her willingness to give back and help others to be as successful as she is in and out the classroom. In addition to her full time schedule this semester, Erin is supporting 5 different courses in subjects ranging from History to Accounting and Business, and even Buddhist Philosophy (just for fun).

Outside of the SSC, Erin is a member of the Women’s Misericordia Softball Team, and she participated in last year’s NCAA Championship MAC 2022-2023 Team.

Good job, Erin – and keep up the great work!

(pictured: Erin & Dr. Albie Prado)

WVIA Pop Shop

Hosted by Allan Austin and Patrick Hamilton

New Episodes every Tuesday beginning September 10th

Two professors obsessing about everything popular culture.

Are you craving smart, fun, and sometimes irreverent conversations on the topics you love? Then you’re invited to check out WVIA's Pop Shop, a new WVIA podcast and radio show hosted by Alan Austin and Patrick Hamilton. Each week, we’ll talk about the biggest happenings on the scene, including movie premieres, new hit shows, toys, games, and so much more!

Learn More