University of Washington

In the Department of History Undergrads Shine! For millennia, people have been inspired by the discipline of history, and by the desire to know what has come before. Today's UW students are no exception. Students attend history classes and choose history majors at the University of Washington by the hundreds, and there are nearly as many reasons why they do. Studying history is a way to acquire the skills demanded by the modern workplace. It fosters the mental habits necessary to make sense of a complex world. History can offer us a window of understanding into our communities, our families, and our own lives. And for many of us, history provides the medium in which lifelong friendships and interests are able to grow and flourish. The common thread is that history is a field that helps students to follow their passions, achieve their goals, and make their mark in the world. Here are just a few of the ways that the department's undergraduates are doing just that. BRINGING STUDENT HISTORY-LOVERS TOGETHER When all the members of the UW chapter of the national history honor society Phi Alpha Theta graduated, faculty advisor Charity Urbanski knew she had her work cut out for her. "2014-15 started out as something of a rebuilding year," she recalled. But what a year it was: "We went from zero to 29 members, and the applications keep rolling in. The students have just been amazing." As she set to set to work building up the chapter, Urbanski aimed to complement the other undergraduate programs in the department. "We already had many opportunities oriented toward academics and career. So with Phi Alpha Theta I wanted to emphasize the social aspect —to allow undergraduates with an interest in history to get to know each other and form friendships outside the classroom setting." The approach proved a big hit with students, and the chapter quickly attracted a wide range of students, both majors and nonmajors. "We just have a lot of fun," said senior Erika VanHorn. "We regularly get 20 or more people at our potlucks and movie nights. The other day we teamed up with the Russian-American Youth Association to watch The Battle of Stalingrad and eat piroshkis. We've also done museum visits, like MOHAI, and coming up we have Burke Museum Bingo." A highlight of the year was the Phi Alpha Theta regional conference, held in Lake Chelan. Attending from UW were Urbanski, VanHorn, and three other Phi Alpha Theta students, Cathleen Buzan, Lindsay Little, and Sara Leonetti. The four UW students presented research papers, with Buzan's innovative research on Republican feminists in the Nixon administration winning the Harry W. Fritz Award for Outstanding Paper of the conference. "This was the first time I had presented at a conference, and it was encouraging to be there with a group of people from the department providing support," said Leonetti. "It was great to have a chance to present our research, to engage with the audience, and to see that things we had invested our time in were interesting to other people too. I received some challenging questions—and that interactivity was part of what made it such a valuable learning experience." Urbanski is already planning for next year. In keeping with her goal of building connections outside the classroom, she hopes to create new venues in which Phi Alpha Theta members can engage with the department's faculty and graduate students. Meanwhile, she sends her best wishes along with the chapter's graduating seniors. "They are a wonderful, engaging group of students. I've been so impressed by their initiative and positivity. Wherever their professional careers may take them, they will carry with them an enduring love of history and friendships of lifelong significance." PHI ALPHA THETA CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS SAR A LEONETTI, ERIK A VANHORN, CATHLEEN BUZAN, AND LINDSAY LITTLE 6  U N I V E R S I T Y O F W A S H I N G T O N

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