From getting to know their professors to participating in lively class discussions, Truman’s history students develop their minds and cultivate a broad range of talents and interests.
“I was lucky enough to be a part of so many amazing things at Truman. I am extremely passionate about this university and its community, so I decided to apply to be one of the Commencement speakers. I ended up getting the opportunity to speak at my own graduation which was a very special experience. I am so honored that I got the chance to give praise to my university and fellow history cohort one last time! ”
—Tessa Sottile, History Major“The highlight of my Truman experience has been working with the history faculty. Dr. Wandel challenged my view of history as a discipline during freshman year. Even though this confused me at first, it eventually caused me to revise my view. This revision continued throughout my time at Truman as I got the opportunity to learn from Professors Hanley, West, McDonald, Russell, Gall, Robinson, and many others who challenged me to grow intellectually. Now, on the verge of graduation, I can look back on my time here and see how much I have grown, thanks to them. When I came here I had a very basic understanding of the historical discipline, but I leave here with a far more nuanced view. Some of my friends who chose other schools cannot say the same.”
—Michael McCoy, History Major/Pre-MAE
“I was lucky enough to be a part of so many amazing things at Truman. I am extremely passionate about this university and its community, so I decided to apply to be one of the Commencement speakers. I ended up getting the opportunity to speak at my own graduation which was a very special experience. I am so honored that I got the chance to give praise to my university and fellow history cohort one last time! ”
“I have really enjoyed getting to know all my teachers, both the Spanish and History faculty. One thing I love about Truman is that the class sizes are consistently small so that I am able to really get to know my teacher. In addition, many of my teachers have personally made personal appointments with every student in the class, whether to get to know the students or to check up on progress for a big project. I love class discussions that make up a large portion of many history classes because they allow us to learn new information while still developing debate and cognitive skills. Many of my most recent Spanish classes have also led class and office hours entirely in Spanish, which has been absolutely invaluable in developing my conversation skills and in increasing my confidence in the language. I was surprised at first by just how willing all the faculty are to help students individually because I went to an incredibly large high school where teachers did not necessarily have the time to devote much attention to any individual student. All the professors here have been approachable and, in my experience, genuinely want their students to learn and find passion in what they are learning, which has been a wonderful surprise.”
—Sadie Williams, History Major/Spanish Minor
“My time with the Truman History Department was truly transformative. The passion professors brought to the classroom made lectures engaging and exciting, and their enthusiasm for the subject continued to fuel my interest in the field. The discussion-based nature of some of the classes offered students the opportunity to express their ideas freely while still cultivating critical analysis and debate. Regardless of whether students were inside or outside the classroom, professors were actively invested in student learning and were always open to questions and new ideas. My professors fostered an environment of critical and independent thinking that shaped me into the student I am today. Their boundless enthusiasm and encouragement pushed me to become not only a better writer and thinker but also a better student. I learned so much during my time as a history major and I cannot thank my professors enough for guiding me through my undergraduate journey.”
—Sarah Barger, Dual Major: History & English
