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Department of History and Geography

Department News Archives

New book encourages peer mentoring in higher education

Peter Felten, executive director of Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, co-authored a guide for colleagues at any college to build stronger relationships.

Thomas Jefferson essay contest winners named

Three winners of the Philip L. Carret "Thomas Jefferson Essay Competition" were named April 25.

CELEBRATE! profile: Danielle Damren '13

An Honors Fellow and history major on her way to graduate school has researched courtship practices and the nature of love in England during the reign of Henry VIII.

Acclaimed historian advocates for the liberal arts

In a visit to Elon University, Edward L. Ayers argues that the arts and sciences teach the “art of expression and habit of attention.”

Alumnus John Garratt to study in Berlin on DAAD grant

John Garratt '09, a history major and German studies minor, has been accepted by the German Academic Exchange Serivce (DAAD) to study in Germany on a long-term graduate research fellowship.

Nancy Midgette revises and updates NCDCR publications
Nancy Midgette, in conjunction with the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, has significantly revised and updated the NCDCR's publications on the state's roles in World War I and World War II.
David M. Crowe delivers BB&T Heritage Lecture at Barton College
Student-faculty article published in peer-reviewed Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa
Heidi Frontani, professor of geography, and Elon College Fellow, Anna McCracken, had their article "China's Development Initiatives in Ghana, 1961-2011" published in the Winter 2012 issue of the Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa.
Lumen Scholar finds National Parks oversimplify U.S. history
Work by Cameron Shirley '13 documented sites in Boston & Philadelphia that give visitors incomplete stories of the American Revolution.
Programs bring science, history to the masses
Monthly events expose faculty, staff and students to science, history and geography in a relaxed atmosphere.
Amy M. Johnson presents at Southern Historical Association annual conference
Elon sophomore named a BET 'M.A.D. Girl'
Yasmine Arrington was honored in New York City this weekend for her nonprofit to help children of jailed parents.
Brown Bag Discussion - Nov. 14
Join Michael Matthews Nov. 14 for a Brown Bag discussion.
Brown Bag Discussion - Oct. 23
Join Jim Bissett for a Brown Bag discussion on Oct. 23.
Brown Bag Discussion - Sept. 26
Join us in Lindner 204 from 12:10-1:10 p.m. for a Brown Bag discussion led by Clyde Ellis.
Elon student a finalist for BET honor
Vote online through Sept. 18 to support sophomore Yasmine Arrington’s scholarship program for teens with parents in prison.
Truitts, Troxler receive Elon Medallions
Elon President Leo M. Lambert bestowed the university's highest honor Monday morning on John '53 & Dolores Truitt '53, and George Troxler.
Elon community sends pallets of books to Ghana
The U.S. Navy is transporting the donated materials to the African nation at no cost to the university or the recipients.
Jim Brown leads workshop in Thailand
Associate Professor Jim Brown led a workshop for full time and Western volunteer teachers in schools for Burmese migrants and refugees along the Thai-Burma border.
Professor’s book on transplants features recipient stories
Mary Jo Festle and several top students conducted interviews with dozens of patients about their experience waiting for and receiving new lungs.
Clyde Ellis interviewed for NPR feature on Powwows
Professor of History Clyde Ellis was interviewed by NPR affiliate KPCC in Pasadena, Calif., for a feature story on the history of powwow culture and the 27th annual UCLA Powwow that aired May 31.
Homecoming Reception - Oct. 20
Catered event for graduates and current students who have worked closely with HST/GEO or with a major or minor from the Department of History and Geography.
Phi Alpha Theta/Gamma Theta Upsilon Induction Dinner - Oct. 10
This event is by invitation and for honor society officers and inductees into the History (Phi Alpha Theta) and Geography (Gamma Theta Upsilon) honor societies.
CELEBRATE! profile: Patrick Ma '12
A biology major on his way to graduate school to study forestry has spent nearly two years researching the Elon University Forest.
Ryan Kirk publishes article on development patterns in Appalachia
Ryan Kirk, assistant professor of geography and environmental studies, published an article in the most recent issue of the journal Landscape and Urban Planning.
David Crowe to host international law conference
History professor David Crowe will host the 2012 Conference on International Law at the Elon Law School on Feb. 25.
Conference on International Law - Feb. 25
The 2012 Conference on International Law at Elon University School of Law will focus on "War Crimes, Human Rights, and Immigration."

Location: Elon University School of Law, Greensboro, N.C.
Time: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sponsors: Elon Law, Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences, Phi Beta Kappa and The Fund for Excellence, International Studies, the Department of History and Geography, Department of Political Science, Prelaw and AAASE
Contact Person: Dr. David Crowe, School of Law / Department of History and Geography.
Senior Dinner For History Majors
Dinner to celebrate our graduating History Majors.
5:30 p.m. - 6:45 p.m.
Isabella Cannon Room
Phi Alpha Theta/Gamma Theta Upsilon Induction Ceremony
This dinner is by invitation and for honor society officers and inductees into the History (Phi Alpha Theta) and Geography (Gamma Theta Upsilon) honor societies.
Lumen Scholar chronicles rise of LGBTQ student groups
An Elon senior uses a top award to trace the evolution of organizations for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer students at Duke and UNC.
Professors awarded 2012-14 Senior Faculty Research Fellowships
Kevin Boyle, David Crowe and Megan Squire have been selected as Senior Faculty Research Fellows for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years.
Faculty Spotlight: Charles Irons, history
Charles Irons, associate professor of history and geography, recently completed a yearlong sabbatical to study the segregation of Southern churches in the post-Civil War American South and how black Southerners endeavored to create churches independent of white control. His journeys took him to seven archives in three different states. He commandeered the Department of History’s microfilm reader. He completed more archival work and took more intellectual risks than he ever had in his career to date. And, he says, he expects the hard work to be well worth it.
David Crowe Book on Schindler discussed in New York Times
An article in the New York Times (June 19,2011) on Mietek Pemper, a Schindler Jew who claimed to be the author of "Schindler's List," discussed Crowe's biography on Schindler ("Oskar Schindler: The Untold Account of His Life, Wartime Activities, and the True Story behind 'The List.'"
Professor emerita Carole Troxler explores Regulator Movement in new book
Five years before the start of the American Revolution, friction between Piedmont farmers and local court house rings who were tied to eastern North Carolina interests led to the Battle of Alamance on fields a few miles south of where Elon University today sits. That conflict stood as a defining moment for the Regulator Movement, and a new book by professor emerita Carole Troxler examines its roots and influence on the nation’s push for independence.
Honors course examines disabilities in American culture & history
People with disabilities have made significant progress raising awareness of public policy issues that affect them in recent years, advances that students in an Elon University interdisciplinary course learned this spring as they researched the history, culture and psychology of a population that is often overlooked.
Eight new early-Elon scrapbooks now on the web
An intern with Elon University’s Belk Library worked this semester in coordination with the N.C. Digital Heritage Center to digitize and publish online scrapbooks created by eight of Elon’s earliest students.
Honglin Xiao publishes research in Environmental Science and Policy
Honglin Xiao, an associate professor of geography, has coauthored a paper in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Science and Policy.
Elon graduate conducts research at Bundesarchiv in Berlin
Jack Garratt '09, who graduated from Elon with a major in History and a minor in German Studies, has received a grant to conduct archival research at the Bundesarchiv-Lichterfelde in Berlin.
Lumen Scholar probes complexities of international humanitarian law
Since the 1600s, lawyers and scholars have grappled with how to best bring to justice the men and women who commit war crimes. Elon University senior Elizabeth Leman studied three of the biggest global conflicts in recent history to shed light on the complexities of international humanitarian law, and her work is the latest to be featured in a series of E-net profiles on Lumen Scholars in the Class of 2011
Awards banquet honors exemplary faculty and staff
Four faculty members were honored May 11, 2011, for superior scholarship, teaching, mentoring and service at Elon University’s faculty-staff awards luncheon. Those recognized included Mary Jo Festle, Ann J. Cahill, Maureen Vandermaas-Peeler and Stephen Bailey.
Honglin Xiao coauthors peer-reviewed journal article
Honglin Xiao, an associate professor of geography, coauthored a peer-reviewed paper with professor Jian Peng from Minzu University of China, professor Yueqing Xu from China Agricultural University, and professor Yunlong Cai from Peking University of China in the journal Environmental Earth Sciences.
Clyde Ellis presents research at the annual meeting of the Oklahoma Historical Society
Professor of History Clyde Ellis was invited to present his most recent research at the annual meeting of the Oklahoma Historical Society in Enid, Okla., on April 28.
Elon alumna accepted to MA program in Germany
Kristen Klug '10, a History major and German Studies minor, has been accepted to the master's program in European Studies at the Hochschule Bremen in Germany.
Clyde Ellis is outside consultant for tenure and promotion standards
Clyde Ellis, a professor of history, served recently as an outside consultant on tenure and promotion standards for the Department of History at Ithaca College.
CELEBRATE! profile: Samuel Shoge '11
Many people don’t think twice about water, or how new roads, parking lots and buildings to accommodate a growing population can harm water quality. As Elon University senior Samuel Shoge discovered in Alamance County, more asphalt and concrete means more pollution in local streams and lakes, and his work is the latest to be featured in a series of E-net profiles on undergraduate research to be presented during CELEBRATE! 2011.
Honglin Xiao presents and chairs session for meeting of the Association of American Geographers
Associate professor of geography Honglin Xiao presented his research, "Land use land cover changes under a market economy," at the 2011 annual meeting of the Association of American Geographers at Seattle, Wash.
Lumen Scholar examines role of memory for Chilean exiles
Thousands of people went into exile when Augusto Pinochet established a military dictatorship in Chile in 1973. Elon University senior Renee Zale is studying how their return home was influenced by memories of the South American nation before Pinochet, and her work is the latest to be featured in a series of E-net profiles on Lumen Scholars in the Class of 2011.
Clyde Ellis speaks at USC-Lancaster
Clyde Ellis, a professor of history, gave a public lecture on April 11 as part of the University of South Carolina at Lancaster's annual Native American Studies Week.
Michael Matthews presents at the 58th annual Conference of the Rocky Mountain Council of Latin American Studies
Assistant professor Michael Matthews presented at the 58th annual Rocky Mountain Council of Latin American Studies in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Clyde Ellis selected for NEH Summer Seminar
Clyde Ellis, a professor of history, has been selected to attend a four-week National Endowment for the Humanities summer seminar on the ethnohistory of Indians in the American South. The seminar will meet at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and will include fieldwork in the Eastern Cherokee, Catawba, and Lumbee communities.