2025 History Department Newsletter
A message from the Chair
This has been a year of dramatic change in higher education, and those transformations are certainly affecting our department. Federal support for grants is dwindling, while new state mandates are reshaping governance and even the curriculum we teach. These shifting conditions pose challenges, yet the Department has shown remarkable adaptability.
The Department continues to play a significant and widely recognized role in the university’s curriculum. We are among the pioneers of the new “AI+X” degree, which pairs AI skills with disciplinary knowledge—in our case, historical inquiry. Our new course, History in the Age of AI, bridges traditional, digital, and AI-driven approaches to historical research. Our revised Online Certificate for History Educators has drawn a new cohort of students, and plans for an innovative online MA for History Teachers continue to advance. In partnership with Political Science, we are also leading initiatives in civic literacy, adapting our course offerings and participating in a grant-funded effort to build teacher learning communities.
In 2025, we welcomed solid cohorts of students for the bachelor's and master's degrees. Strong numbers—and the growing interest in our offerings—have increased demand for history courses. We’ve also broadened our curriculum: alongside History in the Age of AI, we now offer Queer History and Mexican American History, and have brought back to our regular rotation popular courses such as The Vietnam War and Women’s History, all within our robust coverage of topics.
Our impact extends well beyond the classroom. Undergraduate history enthusiasts gather weekly for the Falcon History Society. Students have taken on internships at National Monuments and film production companies. Thanks to the new Don Rowney Scholarship for Internships, we can now offer financial help to make these experiences more accessible.
Faculty research remains a vital pillar of the department. This year, four colleagues are on sabbatical, while Dr. Apollos Nwauwa returned from a productive research leave in Durham, UK. We also welcomed Alannah Graves and Dr. Andrew Kunze in visiting appointments, helping us meet the strong demand for our courses. We have had an impressive harvest of awards, publications and public projects this year and in the next few months.
Public engagement continues to thrive. We’re delighted to welcome Kristin Schnerer, our new outreach coordinator, who is curating a strong lineup of public lectures and Ohio History Day events. Faculty have also contributed to this year’s In the Round series, exploring intersections of culture, science, and the environment. On November 2, Dr. Dong’s Museum Studies and Dr. Stucker’s Design classes will open a joint exhibit in the University Art Gallery. In spring, alumni and I will participate in programs hosted in city parks, culminating in a public talk by acclaimed author Robin Wall Kimmerer.
Finally, we are deeply grateful for the support of our alumni, former faculty, and friends. Your generosity funds scholarships, research, and outreach that strengthen our mission. We especially value your engagement as classroom visitors and mentors to our students. If you wish to contribute—financially or through professional connections—please reach out to me or your favorite professor. Our society needs, now more than ever, historical thinkers who can navigate the complexities of our world and its winding historical paths.
Amílcar E. Challú, Chair
A bench to honor faculty in History and World Languages
On a beautiful walk across the BGSU campus, Tom Gouttierre ’62, came across Prout Chapel, and noticed that there was only one bench, while there was space for two. The lonely bench honored the Class of 1965, and he came up with the idea to have a matching bench honoring faculty that had a life-changing impact on their students. A history major with extensive training in languages, Tom did not hesitate a second to dedicate the bench to Robert W. Twyman, William R. Rock, Stuart R. Givens (professors of history), and Dzidra Shllaku (professor of Russian).
To commemorate that bench, Tom hosted a breakfast with the family of his beloved professors and current faculty. Tom Gouttierre, who grew up in a family of bakers in Maumee, Ohio, told stories —racing his professors down Route 25 on the way back home, bringing his acclaimed cakes for the birthday of the faculty children, etc. It was quite the trek to other times, but, as Dean Schendel highlighted in her remarks, care for each other is at the core of what we do in BGSU. After the breakfast, the Givens family stopped by Williams Hall to greet Dr. Becky Mancuso, who was quite close growing up with them. Stay tuned to the BGSU Department of History blog, which will feature in-depth stories on each of these faculty members.
Spotlight on Outreach
Eclipsing History wins award from the Ohio Academy of History
In our last annual newsletter, we highlighted the Eclipsing History podcast and related exhibit and programming that we launched in spring of 2024 in anticipation of the Great North American Eclipse™. This was a collaboration forged in the history classroom under the leadership of Drs. Dong and Challú, with the engagement of undergraduate and graduate students, and experts from Canada, Mexico, and the U.S., and a grant from Ohio Humanities.
Fast forward to spring 2025 and the team behind Eclipsing History received the Ohio Academy of History Award for Public History. This award was set up to encourage the sharing of historical research outside of the academic reach. The six-episode series had a wide reach through popular streaming platforms, and helped many who experienced the once-in-a-lifetime eclipse understand more about the historical and societal impact of eclipses across times past.
Smithsonian curator examines memory and justice in Black History Month Public Lecture
As a part of BGSU’s Black History Month celebration, the History Department invited Dr. Modupe Labode to speak about the historical marker commemorating Emmett Till. She is the Curator of African American Social Justice History at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and leads the Emmett Till Historic Marker Project. Her lecture in February traced the history of Till’s murder, the suppression and later revival of his memory in Mississippi, and how partnerships between the Smithsonian and local residents have fostered public education and the ongoing work of remembrance. Labode also met with graduate students and faculty in the graduate programs in History and Theater.
This lecture was presented with support from the BGSU Division of Community and Well-Being, and had lively conversation about curatorial practices and the state of the field of history and museum studies.
Women’s History Month public lecture shines the spotlight on breaking barriers in the saddle
On March 18, 2025, the BGSU History Department welcomed Dr. Tracy Hanshew, Assistant Professor of History at Eastern Oregon University to give a public lecture on her research about women in the American West.
In her lecture, Hanshew explored how cowgirls and rodeo women in the rural American West challenged prevailing gender norms in the late 18th and early 19th century. She showed how these women disrupted stereotypes about women’s strength, mobility and roles, even as they were marginalized in feminist histories because of their rural and Western identities. Hanshew also chatted with graduate students over lunch to discuss her scholarship and new directions in the field of women’s history.
You can watch these and other lectures on the History Department's YouTube Channel.
Historical documentary film comes to the BGSU campus
As part of BGSU’s celebration of Constitution Day 2025, the History Department hosted David Garrigus, the director of The American Constitution, to screen his historical documentary film representation of the creation of the U.S. Constitution. At the conclusion of the screening, members of the public and BGSU students participated in a Q&A session.
This film screening was the Ohio premiere of The American Constitution, which was generously sponsored by the Ohio-250 Commission. You can find out more about this film and Garrigus's future endeavors at constitutionmovie.com.
National History Day regional contest showcases K-12 student projects
BGSU’s Department of History has proudly hosted the Ohio History Day’s Region 1 Contest since 2020, in close partnership with Ohio History Connection. This past spring, more than 170 students showed off their history-related work to their peers, parents, and family members.
Ohio History Day is part of National History Day. In 2025, the theme was “Rights and Responsibilities in History.” Students chose a topic and research question, and used their creativity to generate a project in one of several categories – tabletop display, paper, website, documentary or performance.
Volunteer judges evaluated the work of students from around the Northwest Ohio area. Volunteer judges included graduate students, undergraduate students, and faculty from BGSU and other colleges, museum professionals and history-loving folks from the area.
This year, we had 24 students who qualified to compete at the State level, and 7 were able to advance all the way to National competition! This year’s Region 1 Contest was generously sponsored by Buckeye Broadband, BGSU University Libraries, Toledo History Museum, Kiwanis Club of Bowling Green, and Bowling Green Rotary Club.
Ohio History Day needs many volunteer judges each year, as we expand the number of local students who wish to compete at the annual contest. We’re looking forward to the 2026 contest, where the theme is “Revolution, Reaction, Reform.” If you are not local to the northwest Ohio area, consider volunteering with your regional National History Day Contest.
Student Spotlight
Students gain hands-on experience through internships
- This summer, history undergraduate student Lauren Carmen interned at the Eisenhower National Historic Site near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania—a place that first inspired her love of history during childhood visits. As a park intern, Lauren led tours, developed educational programs, conducted research, and worked alongside interns from other universities and National Park Service rangers who became mentors and friends. The experience deepened her understanding of how to make history meaningful to the public while strengthening her skills in research, analysis, and public speaking. Grateful for the opportunity provided by the Eisenhower National Historic Site and the BGSU History Department, Lauren hopes to pursue additional park internships as she continues her studies. You can read a bit more about her internship on our History Department Blog.
- The BGSU History Department is pleased to announce the creation of the Don Karl Rowney Endowed Scholarship, honoring Dr. Don Karl Rowney, Professor Emeritus of History who taught at BGSU for 47 years. A pioneering scholar in quantitative history and expert on Russian bureaucracy, Dr. Rowney helped found the International Council for Central and Eastern European Studies and was known for his rigorous courses and commitment to intellectual inquiry. Established by his wife, Susan R. Carlton ’76, following his passing in 2022, the scholarship will support BGSU History majors pursuing internships, with preference for those in policy or public history. Details on how to apply will be shared soon, and any students who receive this scholarship will have their work featured on the History Department Blog in the coming months.
Undergraduate Student Awards
Several named scholarships and awards continue to support our undergraduate students studying history every year. You can find more information about the criteria and history of each scholarship on our undergraduate scholarship webpage. We are pleased to announce the following recipients of the 2024-2025 Undergraduate Awards:
Mary Ellen Keil Scholarship
- Tara Stadler
- Elise Miller
- Rachel McFarland
- Faith Limes
- Keira Trimbach
General Niles J. Fulwyler History Scholarship
- Morgan Dillon
- Keirstin Ludwig
- River Maloney
- Jaksyn Trimbach
Grover and Virginia Platt Memorial Scholarship
- Keirstin Ludwig
- Drake Miller
Stuart R. and Florence P. Givens Senior History Scholarship
- Lauren Carmen
- Morgan Dillon
- Connor Hand
- River Moloney
- Jaksyn Trimbach
John Schwartz Essay Award
- River Maloney
Outstanding Senior in History Award
- Erika Putnam
- Graham Burkhard
Donna M. Neiman Award for Undergraduate Research Excellence in History went to Erika Putnam, for her paper entitled “A Historiographical Review of the Reign of Terror in Historical Fiction Since the Mid-Nineteenth Century,” You can view her paper presentation on the department’s Youtube channel
Graduate Student Awards
The Department is proud of all the hard work that our graduate students accomplish as emerging professionals. We give out a number of awards each year to honor their accomplishments and service.
- Outstanding First-Year Graduate Student Research Paper – Patrick Cook
- Outstanding Second-Year Graduate Student Research Paper Award – Peter Limbert
- Outstanding Departmental Citizen Award – Chase Fleece and Gabriel Rodriguez
- Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award – Chloe Kozal
- Outstanding Public History Paper – Peter Limbert
- Best Thesis Award – Jack Lawrence
Faculty News
The History Department, in collaboration with many others across the University, is offering a new AI + X Undergraduate Degree. The Department will be focusing on how AI can be used in historical inquiry.
Dr. Andy Schocket has been busy working hard on a new book project and obtained research fellowships across the country, including the American Antiquarian Society-American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies Fellowship, the Massachusetts Historical Society Andrew M. Mellon Short-Term Fellowship, and the Virginia Museum of History and Culture Andew M. Mellon Short-Term Fellowship. He is also one of three editors of Cambridge History of the American Revolution, a three volume set that includes essays that tell of the American Revolution from unique and diverse perspectives. Dr. Schocket was also a featured guest on the Ohio 250 Talk “Ohio & the Revolution” series, episode 2, which you can listen to on their YouTube Page.
As a part of BGSU’s hosting of the inaugural Great Lakes AI Week, Dr. Savitri Kunze participated in a panel discussion with other faculty members from across the College of Arts and Sciences. You can read more about their discussion on the History Department Blog
Dr. Michael Kimaid was named a Distinguished Teaching Professor Dr. Kimaid is Professor of History at BGSU Firelands, and is affiliated with the Department of History, where he teaches graduate seminars on American history.
Dr. Amílcar Challú received the Outstanding Faculty Award at the Latino Issues Conference and the Faculty Senate Leadership as a Chair Award. He was featured in a 13ABC News story about how BGSU and the College of Arts and Sciences are making use of AI in the classroom.
Dr. Rebecca Mancuso received the Local History Publication Award for her article that delved into the history of hazing at BGSU. You can find out more information about her research on the department blog.
The History Department is saddened to share the news of the passing of Dr. David H. Weinberg on November 3, 2025. A respected scholar of European history, he served as Professor Emeritus at Bowling Green State University for 25 years, during which he made lasting contributions to his field and to the university’s academic community. He authored three books along with numerous articles. Dr. Weinberg was deeply committed to both his academic pursuits and his Jewish heritage—sharing his passion especially with his grandchildren. He is survived by his wife Judy, children Josh and Rachel (David Chernow), grandchildren Hannah and Sophia, and other family members. Donations In memory of David Weinberg may be made to Congregation B’nai Israel or the David Weinberg Jewish Education Fund, 6525 W. Sylvania Ave., Sylvania, OH 43560.
Updated: 12/09/2025 02:27PM