Welcome to the Department of History and Anthropology!
As the world is continuously changing, two departments, with a rich tradition of over 120 years teaching history and almost a century teaching anthropology, have united as the new Department of History and Anthropology. This consolidation offers a remarkable opportunity to elevate the outstanding education and invaluable support we've consistently given our students throughout their crucial college years.
History and anthropology are the best ways to understand human reality in the past, present, and in the future. We are not dealing so much with abstract theories as with the practical complexities of life itself, of human behavior, social interactions, and the ways societies are trying to solve problems without knowing the unintended consequences of their actions.
We offer a large variety of courses in history and anthropology, focusing on human diversity in the past and the present. My colleagues are specialists of the history and culture of Medieval and Modern Europe, Latin America, Colonial America and the United States. In addition to establishing historical facts, we study the construction of heritage and identity, community-building in physical and virtual contexts, experiences of refugees and migrants, the environmental impacts of human activity, and the interplay of technology and globalization. We share a strong commitment to engaging students in an ever-evolving knowledge environment, which includes new technologies for interrogating information.
Our undergraduates have many opportunities to participate and engage in various research projects to gain first-hand knowledge collecting and interpreting data in the field, lab, and archives. This includes an ongoing archaeological excavation of the former plantation house that once stood at the center of our campus
This spring, almost all our graduating seniors distinguished themselves with numerous honors. They earned accolades for the best oral presentation and posters at University Research Day, received awards from Phi Alpha Theta—the national history honor society—and were inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and other honor societies, among other significant academic distinctions. These achievements underscore the excellent quality of our history and anthropology programs, a strength built upon our outstanding traditions and our continuous commitment to improving our service to students, the university, and the nation. We're incredibly proud—and a little sad—to see them venture out into the world, following in the footsteps of our alumni who've found success across so many fields: in universities and schools, but also notably in business, law, media, public administration, museums, cultural resource management, and in the service of the church.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me with your questions!
Árpád von Klimó,
Department Chair and Ordinary Professor of European History