By Janis Gibbs I am writing from Vienna, Austria, where we have just finished six weeks of May and June classes, and celebrated the sixtieth anniversary of the Hope College Vienna Summer School. I have spent my summers teaching in Vienna since 1998, under the directorship of my colleague, Professor Stephen Hemenway of the English Department. He has just …
Author Archives: Sarah Baar
Alumni Feature: Cory Lakatos
Studying history at Hope College helped keep me from becoming a snob. It turns out that this gives you a greater advantage in the world of work than you might realize. What do I mean? Well, before I get into that, let me give you some background on how I got where I am today. …
June 23: an historic day
By Marc Baer Next week, on June 23, British voters will participate in an historic event, the United Kingdom European Union (EU) membership referendum, popularly known as Brexit. At this moment polling reveals a razor-thin margin in favor of leaving. British membership in the EU has been controversial since 1972, when the UK joined what was then the …
History and French and Secondary Education, Oh My!
By Miriam Roth “What’s your major?” It’s a question that any college student has answered a thousand times, and I am no exception. My answer, though, is a bit of a mouthful any way you slice it. Yes, I’m one of those crazy people who smashes three disciplines together and goes for a double major. …
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Goodbye, kind of
By Marc Baer Most of you know that after a wonderful 33 years teaching at Hope and an especially delightful 6 years chairing the History department, as of June 30 I will have retired; professor emeritus will be my title. (I looked up emeritus: it’s Latin for “out of merit,” which seems about right for me). But …
Alumni Feature: Neill De Paoli
My Work with the National Park Service: Lexington National Historical Park I grew up in upstate New York in an area with a rich prehistory and history. The Mohawk River Valley was home to Native Americans for over 7,000 years and Dutch and English settlers by the late 1600s. I have fond memories as a boy exploring the …
Student Feature: Austin Garcia
During the Spring semester of 2016, I had the privilege of expanding my interests outside the history discipline. As part of the Mellon Scholars program I was able to build upon my skills in digital media within my history related major. As a Television Producer for the City Holland, I pursued what most would refer to as “communications” internship. …
History Department Celebrates!
By Marc Baer One of the great joys for History faculty at the end of the year is attending Hope’s Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Performance in DeVos Fieldhouse. This year was no exception. Six of us mentored a total of 15 majors, from first-years to seniors. The breadth of the projects was stunning, …
Writing Personal Statements for Scholarship or Graduate School Applications
If you plan to apply for admission to a graduate program or for a grant or fellowship, you will need to write a personal statement. While all applications contain specific instructions, and you should definitely pay attention and tailor your statement to the program for which you are applying, there are some general principles that …
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Alumni Feature: Tara Tappert, Ph.D.
Tara Tappert ‘73 may have graduated from Hope over 40 years ago, but her enthusiasm for learning and teaching hasn’t waned. I am continually making and re-making the focus and direction of my career—teacher, writer, curator, editor, events planner, and advocate. After getting her undergraduate degree in History, Dr. Tappert received an M.S.L.S. in Library …