HISTORY DEPARTMENT ANNUAL EVENTS AND FAQS:

What was the first History Department Event in 2009-10?

The Fall Term Welcome Back Everyone Reception (this year we will meet two new faculty members, Brendan LaRocque and Oswald Masebo, and hear about the summer adventures of our Mullin Prize winners, Erika Huckestein, Jordan Smith, and Naomi Yoder) took place on Tuesday, September 22, 2009, 5:00-6:30 p.m., Leighton 304.

Are there any public talks? Every year the History department has two Herbert P. Lefler lectures. This fall's speaker information can be found in the current History Dept Newsletter. The department invites current working historians to come to campus to visit the History 298 class and to present a public talk on a current historical topic. These talks are lively and engaging, and give you an opportunity to meet well-known members in the History field.

Is there any money for research travel?  Please see our Edward M. "Ted" Mullin prize information.

When is the History Department Picnic? Tuesday, May 18, 2010, from 5:00-6:30 p.m. on the Leighton lawn and 2nd floor Leighton. The department will send you a picnic sign-up note to choose your hoagie Spring term.

What events have pizza? SDAs office hours can offer Pizza once a term! The Senior Comps lunch winter term has pizza, and so does the Spring term Junior Comps lunch. Some classes also have pizza or other refreshments to celebrate various things, depends on the faculty member.

Will we have a Department T-Shirt? T-shirts and other department memorabilia are organized by one single enthusiastic History major or several majors who want one. In the past History majors solicited designs, planned, ordered, collected, and distributed department t-shirts, glasses, and mugs. The Department office will help you as much as possible by forwarding announcements and reminder e-mails drafted by you to majors and faculty, and can be your pick-up location. Discuss with Department Administrative Assistant.

Do we have any History Department Intramural Teams? Past majors have organized and captained History Major (and sometimes included faculty) Intermural Broom Ball, Frisbee, and Bicycling teams. History department office will announce, publicize, post sign-up sheets, send e-mail reminders about games, and support as best as it can the team you organize, and will do all it can to help you if you choose to be a team captain or team leader.

Do we have any History Department social outings for majors? Past majors have suggested and arranged a few fun outings for History majors - bowling night (included pizza), bicycle outings, sledding/traying events on Evans Hill. Other fun outing ideas might include a History Majors Hike in the Arb or a field trip to the Nerstrand Big Woods, a History majors and faculty field trip to the Minnesota Historical Society, the Rice County Historical Society, the Northfield Historical Society, or a group bicycle trip to the Dundas Mill. Contact the History Department Office if you have an idea for an outing you would like to organize, or would enjoy organizing any of these.

Can You Make a Suggestion? If you have a suggestion, we are happy to consider it, and will do our best to implement it! The History department Give-Take-Trade Bookshelves were suggested by Katie Thompson Newell, '05, and established in 2004: "It's the end of the year and as such you are probably trying to decide whether to sell back to the bookstore all of your books from all of the classes you've taken this year. You know what a rip-off the buy-back service is. Why not donate your old history books to a History Department Give-and-Take bookshelf? We would love to have them, and I'm sure future students would also appreciate the chance to find books there. Consider this option in lieu of expensive storage and cheap buy-back!" We loved Katie's suggestion, and you can find her Give/Take/Trade Bookshelves in Leighton 218, the History Department auxiliary lobby - you can give books, take, or trade books (no need to return any of the books you take!). Open during regular office hours.

And there is also a Senior Cocktail party, but it is only for seniors and faculty members - something to look forward to!