I plan on working as an Associate Quality Assurance Engineer with Fidelity Investments in Durham, NC.
I'm hopefully going to graduate school in the fall at either Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, GA for the African American Studies Masters program or at either the University of Kent, University of Nottingham, or the University College of London in England for their Classical Studies Masters Programs.[Received June 2011]
It is with great excitement that I can let you know that I did get accepted into Clark Atlanta University's African American Studies Master's program! [Received August 10, 2011]
I'm headed to southern Spain for a year starting in September to teach English in a public school.
I'll be commissioned in the Army National Guard as a 2nd lieutenant. In my civilian career, I will be starting my job as a private investigator in Raleigh, NC.
I plan to go to law school in NC.
I am attending the Univerersity of Arkansas-Clinton School of Public Service to pursue a masters degree. I start in mid-August. I enjoyed my time at Elon and feel that it prepared me to enter the world as a working adult both socially and academically. My history major will help me in graduate school in many ways. Firstly, I have learned to write well-researched, well-written, and supported arguments which will definitely come in handy in my further studies. Also, history has helped me to understand and have knowledge of the developments of different cultures around the globe. My degree will require me to work abroad and having this understanding of different cultures and peoples, and their histories will surely come in handy. [Received June 3, 2011]
My history classes at Elon taught me how to read text closely and analyze at a deeper level. I feel these skills will be crucial in law school, and I am thankful to the history department for helping me develop them over the past four years. In some cases, students only read at a surface level, but in all of my history classes, I was urged to analyze the texts for deeper meanings and to extract important information. Also, because I took a lot of history classes about minority history (African-American history, American Indian history, Women's history), my interest in these areas grew immensely. I plan on becoming a family lawyer, and the minority history classes were integral in helping me figure out what kind of law I wanted to do and what kind of people I wanted to help. Lastly, it is my belief that it is hard to be a successful attorney unless you are aware of the past. Through my history classes, I learned about the development of social history and corresponding laws. I feel this knowledge will also be crucial because it will allow me to understand what I am learning in law school better because I am aware of what came before it. [Received June 16, 2011]
I have been contacted by the Smithsonian for an opportunity to intern at the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, so I am in the process of obtaining that for the summer. I am also in the process of traveling to New Zealand for several months, preferably around the time the Rugby World Cup will be hosted.
I will be working at the Credit Suisse in Manhattan, NY.
During my four years at Elon University, I was able to take advantage of a variety of different experiences through the History and Geography Department. I took classes that integrated multiple different aspects of history into unique themes, like Slavery and Resistance. Not only did these classes teach me more about the subject matter, they also helped me develop stronger analytical and writing skills. My academic advisor helped me craft a schedule that appealed to my specific interest in public history and museum studies. I took a 4-credit internship at Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum where I developed educational programs and executed a grant. I gained valuable practical experience in my future career field while getting credit for undergraduate coursework.
While at Elon University, I took advantage of undergraduate research opportunities like the Honors Fellows and the Lumen Prize. Through these programs, I was able to work with a faculty mentor to do original scholarship and write a 60-page thesis. This experience has prepared me for the challenges of graduate school and will help me succeed in my future endeavors. In August 2011, I will start a 2-year graduate program at UNC Greensboro in Public History and Museum Studies. After completing this program, I will hopefully find work in a history museum or at a historic site in North Carolina. [Received July 15, 2011]
I will be interning for the summer at Monticello.
Through constructive criticism, personalized feedback and challenging curriculum, Elon's history department gave me the skills I need to be successful in law school. [Received October 22, 2011]
Elon has forever impacted my life in the utmost positive manner. I taught school (4th grade) for two years and now issue insurance policies at Tapco Underwriters. Elon gave me the confidence to pursue career paths outside my major and the tools to be a successful woman at a young age. [Received October 22, 2011]
I have used my analytical knowledge to improve my relationships with doctors in my job as a pharmaceutical rep. [Received October 22, 2011]
I am currently a second-year law student at the Roger Williams University School of Law in Bristol, Rhode Island. Even though content-wise law school is a lot different than what I studied as a History major at Elon, I believe that studying History was the perfect way to train my mind for the rigors of studying law. A constant theme that emerged in my history classes was that my professors constantly challenged me to question popularly held notions about the past, and encouraged me to perceive historical events from different viewpoints. That type of thinking is a major part of my studies in law school in that I am constantly taught to question the cases I read and to think about legal issues from a variety of angles.
Being an Elon History major definitely helped to lay the groundwork for my success in law school by encouraging the type of in-depth analysis that I currently use and will one day use as a practicing attorney. Besides the practicalities of studying history at Elon, the faculty that makes up the Department was another reason why I enjoyed being a History major. I had positive experiences with all my History professors, and was fortunate enough to develop strong connections with a few that have enabled me to stay in touch with them past graduation. Simply put, Elon's history professors care deeply about their students, and their passion for their individual interests not only inspired me to care about the subject matter they taught (which is very diverse), but also to follow my own passions in colonial and early national period American history. The professors made class informative, interesting, and fun all at the same time. I could not think of a better way to add to the Elon Experience than by being a History major or minor. [Received 9/7/09]
Being a history major at Elon was particularly helpful in learning how to research, write, and synthesize information. Having mentors that guided me through undergraduate research and an internship gave me a greater confidence in my academic abilities and only deepened my passion for the subject. While I was consistently asked what I was planning on doing post-graduation with a history major besides teaching, I felt that the skills I was developing would serve me well in any future profession, and this has definitely proven to be correct. Although I am currently getting a masters degree in an unrelated field, Higher Education Administration, being a history major at Elon provided me with a solid foundation for this work and made the transition to graduate school much easier than it would have been otherwise. [Received 9/13/09]
I have just started my second year of Graduate studies at Loyola University Chicago. By the end of the academic year I should have earned an MA in History. Between undergrad and Grad school I took a year off and worked at Walt Disney World. I first worked at the Magic Kingdom, at Pirates of the Caribbean. I then moved to Animal Kingdom, working at Kilimanjaro Safaris. I am currently studying Medieval History, with my minor concentration being Early Modern Europe. My time at Elon was certainly great preparation for my continuing education. The Elon History program is filled with so many excellent instructors all, to some extent, acted as mentors to me. I was amazed to find out that outside of Elon, many 100 level classes are taught by student TAs and not professors. I now realize that the interaction I had with the faculty at Elon was quite unique for a college undergraduate. I was able to learn everything from Chinese History to Ancient Egyptian History, American History to Medieval History, this variety gives me extra perspective in my classes that some of my peers do not have. I will always cherish my time at Elon, and wish all incoming students the very best. Enjoy the adventure! [Received 9/6/09]
Sam received a master’s degree in History from the University of Kentucky in May. He now lives in Athens, Georgia where he will work on his doctorate at the University of Georgia. [The Magazine of Elon, Summer 2009]
Since graduation I worked in Nashville, TN as a Historical Interpreter at Belle Meade Plantation and ran a summer camp there. I was an AmeriCorps Vista with Big Brothers Big Sisters Amachi Program, focusing on children with an incarcerated parent. Currently I am working on my Masters at Josef Korbel School of International Studies in Denver, CO and am preparing to spend a month working with Tibetan refugees in India. The diverse course selections in Elon’s history program really benefited me. I was able to take courses focusing on Africa, Latin America, and human rights. [Received 9/7/09]
I just started Graduate School at Indiana University. Dr. Frontani’s class and the others in the History and Geography department have made such a large impact in my life. After graduating from Elon in 2006 I went into the Americorps NCCC where I served with various non-profits in the southeast working on environmental, educational and disaster relief projects. I then moved to Beijing, China where I studied Mandarin and taught English before being hired as the Fundraising Liaison working with many different International non-profits. When I came back to the States I became a campaign director in Colorado Springs, which led to a job with Clean Water Action, a non-profit that works on environmental policy.
Realizing that I want a job in the public or non-profit sector two weeks ago I began working on my Master’s of Public Affairs at Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs. At the age of 25 I still do not know exactly where my career is going to end up but I know that the History program at Elon has been crucial to my success every step of the way. The program gave me the tangible skills to communicate effectively with all different types of people and has helped me look at international policy with a critical eye and a desire to see improvement. Most importantly, the bonds that I developed with my professors have led to great recommendations that have opened every door for me, great advice that has shaped my future and great vision to work toward a better future. [Received 9/13/09]
The most important aspect of my degree is how I approach situations. By obtaining a history degree I find my thoughts and feelings run deeper through understanding perspective. While speaking to colleagues, students or friends who are experiencing a problem or simply want to discuss various topics; I am able to be objective and allow rational thought to filter through more easily. My sensibility and focus has also enhanced since beginning a history major in 2002. Following graduation in 2006 I went to England and achieved a Masters degree in 20th century history from the University of Liverpool. My dissertation centered on the social identity of South African HIV infected individuals. After returning home the following year, I started teaching at North Forsyth High School in Winston-Salem, NC. Right now I am living in Salisbury, NC but I still work in Winston. I am getting married next year in St. Thomas while on a cruise with family and friends. [Received 9/7/09]
Came to Elon for History program. Went to graduate school for History. Getting a PhD in History. Very pleased with faculty. Especially Charles Irons
Since graduation I've received my MA in U.S. History from UNCG, and I'm currently pursuing my PhD in history at Ole Miss, with a concentration in the antebellum South. I feel like my experience at Elon deepened my appreciation of history. What I found to be most helpful about studying history at Elon was the accessibility of the professors, their (incessant) encouragements that I might indeed prove a scholar, and their willingness to work closely with me on research. Dr. Irons often encouraged me to pursue history beyond the undergraduate level, and I count that among the reasons why I've come this far. On one occasion a professor - Dr. Chang - drove me to Chapel Hill to do research because I had no car. The History faculty at Elon were just great folks to work with, and some of them have remained close friends even after leaving. Dr. Chang, along with her husband David Fletcher, have remained close friends, providing advice on graduate school and life in general. I feel as though my position within the Elon community is unique in that my mother works for Elon - so I am constantly hearing of so-and-so asking about me whenever they stop by the office. But I think this sort of concern for the students after they have graduated extends beyond someone in my unique situation. [Received 9/6/09]
After graduating, I worked in Elon's Admissions Office for two years and subsequently spent about eight months working for Wyndham Vacation Resorts. In fall of 2008, I returned to school to pursue a JD at Elon School of Law and am now in my second year there. I have found my work done as a History major at Elon invaluable in helping me to prepare for the rigors of law school. When studying History, it is necessary to be able to absorb large amounts of written material in a short time, which is excellent preparation for much of what is required in law school. [Received 9/7/09]
I am still living in the area, Gibsonville to be precise, with my wife a fellow Elon Alum who I met in a history class. I am currently employed with the Social Security Administration in Burlington after working in the Greensboro office for four years prior. My History helped hone my writing skills which I have to employ on a daily basis, as well as my organization of content. History also helped me to train myself to pull information and data from many different sources and use what I have found to come to a logical conclusion. A lot of my job consists of pouring through laws and policy in order to obtain a solution. [Received 9/6/09]
Lunden received the Southern Conference of Foreign Language Teachers Award and studied abroad in Cuenco, Ecuador last summer (2009). She also received the Blanche Raper Zimmerman Scholarship for social studies teachers from the Winston-Salem Foundation. She currently lives in Washington, D.C. [The Magazine of Elon, Summer 2009]
After graduating from Elon I received my Masters in Public Administration from George Mason University. I hoped to work with nonprofits (I was a political science minor). I ended up moving to a small town in NJ and it was hard finding a nonprofit job. In NJ I worked different jobs but one job was in the archives in Monmouth County, NJ. There I looked at documents from the 1700s with George Washington's signature amongst others. I dealt with several Revolutionary era documents. I also worked with the genealogist there and researched structures. While at Elon I worked with Dr. Troxler researching the Common Schools (we had one on campus). This experience helped me understand what historians look at when they research buildings like I was doing at the county archives. I did this for a year. (In fact, while at Elon I never considered genealogy work and researching buildings as a job but during this year I grew really interested in it and was considering going back to school for history). During my five years in NJ, I traveled to many historical places such as Gettysburg and Valley Forge. In 2005, I went back to school for my Masters in the Art of Teaching. I received my degree from Monmouth University. In 2007, I received my degree and moved to Raleigh, NC. In 2008, I got a job teaching 4th grade. I taught all subjects, including history. Now I am in Beaufort, SC (my very historical hometown) teaching 2nd grade. My future plans include going back to school for my doctorate and teaching education courses on the college level. I would really enjoy teaching the history of education. I believe it is important to study something you enjoy, whether you make a career out of it or not. Studying something I loved made my college experience even greater. Elon has a fantastic history program and I am grateful for the time I was a part of it. [Received 9/6/09]
I have put my history degree to good use!! While in college I talked with Carol Troxler about the several options for working in the field. For the last eight years I've been with Old Salem in Winston-Salem as an historic interpreter. I started out greeting visitors at the door and giving a brief description of the house. After several years I joined the Historic Trades department doing what I love! I currently work as a shoemaker and tailor with the museum and couldn't be
happier. I guess my advice is that you have to stick with it if it's your dream. After several years of answering the front door at Old Salem I was ready to give up on getting the tailor position and had started taking masters level classes in education. My current boss, Nat, asked if I was interested in the position, I agreed and am still at it many years later. [Received: 9/7/09]
Currently teaching in Durham Public Schools working with gifted kids. Elon was a wonderful experience which opened many doors for me, including graduate school in education and school administration. [Received October 22, 2011]
Currently teaching at Turrentine Middle School in Burlington NC (14 years). I teach Africa, Asian History/North Carolina, US History. Elon is always an inviting place. Not a year goes by that I don't call the Elon History Department or Elon for help with a question or to come visit my classroom. [Received October 22, 2011]
Elon's history faculty, in the early 70's was stellar- as the college taught me the powers of critical and analytical thinking that served me well throughout my 32-year career as the historian, researcher and as site manager of North Carolina's state capitol. The skills and knowledge acquired at this institution allowed me the privilege of accurately restoring North Carolina's most historic building- and following retirement to assist in the research of some of Elon's most valuable artifact some overlooked and some "lost". So here's to the Troxlers and those no longer here (Drs. Delp, Stokes, Priestley) and others who were great professors, mentors, and friends. Long Live Elon! [Received 10/22/11]
Elon prepared me for my jobs as an educator for 42 years, and grad schools: Georgetown University- D.C., School of Foreign Service SUNY- Albany- School of Education. My history professors at Elon were Drs. H.H. Cunnigham & Konstantinas Auizonis. I loved being here! [Received October 22, 2011]
Elon was not only the foundation for my post-secondary academic education, but also provided experience with persons from a variety of social, geographic, and economic backgrounds. Dr. H. H. Cunningham, my advisor and teacher was first rate! [Received 10/22/11]
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