New Student Profiles

New Degree Candidates in History 

Apparently hard times “out there” bring rich harvests to the universities.  Despite our strained economic resources we have a strong incoming class of new graduate students joining us this fall. 

  • Brian Alberts, Ph. D. student: Brian received his undergraduate education at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champagne.  His senior research project involved abolitionist travel literature in the antebellum United States, and his projected major field is the United States in the early republic and Civil War eras.  He will be working with Professors Larson and Morrison.

  • Trevor Burrows, Ph.D. student: Trevor comes to us from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago.  He studied philosophy at Towson University in Maryland before completing his bachelor’s in history at Northeastern Illinois last spring.  He is the recipient of a Ross Fellowship.  Trevor is seeking a doctorate in American religious history, and he will be working with Dr. Dochuk.

  • Michael Chornesky, Ph.D. student: Michael has a B.A. in philosophy and history from the University of Maryland College Park, and an M.A. in history from Villanova.  He has been working for the National Park Service trying to tell the truth at the Robert E. Lee home in Arlington and before that at Ford’s Theater.  His interests lie in the eras of the American Civil War and the Vietnam (Civil?) War.  He plans to work with Professor Caroline Janney.

  • David Graham, Ph.D. student: David is following the well-worn yellow brick road to Purdue from Bowling Green State University in Ohio.  David earned his B.A. at Marietta College and his M.A. at Bowling Green, where his focus was on Civil War memory and commemoration. He plans to build upon that foundation and study with Dr. Janney.

  • Patricia Hess, M.A. student: Patricia is a recent graduate of the Purdue history program who is enrolling now for a master’s degree.  She is well known to many faculty as an active member of our Phi Alpha Theta chapter.  Ms. Hess is a veteran of the United States Coast Guard, and while stationed in Boston her interest in history first became inflamed.  She will be working with Professors Lambert, Larson, and possibly Zook.

  • Andrew McGregor, Ph.D. student: Andrew grew up in basketball-obsessed Kansas where, he writes, “sport was life.”  After earning his undergraduate degree at Baker University he picked up an MA at the University of Nevada-Reno (where gambling is life).  Along the way he has coached track and field at both the high school and college levels.  Now he comes to Purdue, where life itself may be debatable.  Andrew is interested in sport history and Native American athletes in the 20th century.  He plans to work with Professors Randy Roberts and Dawn Marsh.

  • Mark Otto, Ph.D. student: Mark earned a B.A. in history at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he studied Stuart England among other things.  His interest in NiccolóMachiavelli understandably led him to Melinda Zook, which led him to Purdue University, where he begins pursuit of a Ph.D. in early modern British history.

  • Max Rieger, Ph.D. student: Max took his undergraduate degree in history at the University of Southern California, then added a J.D. degree from Loyola Law School in LA, before entering the M.A. program at San Diego State to study history again.  No doubt driven off by the barren landscapes and horrid climate of southern California, he comes to Purdue to study race and law in colonial North America.  He plans to work with Professor Yvonne Pitts.

  • Matthew Schownir, M.A. student: Matthew earned his B.A. degree just up the river at Huntington University where he first became interested in European imperialism and decolonization in the 20th century.  Now he will drift down the Wabash to West Lafayette and begin his M.A. studies under the direction of Professor Jennifer Foray.

  • Keenan Shimko, M.A. student: Keenan may be the first new graduate student at Purdue to admit having been lured into the business by video games.  While his electronic avatar struggled at the Battle of the Bulge, Keenan himself took a B.A. at California-Riverside.  He is seeking a M.A. at Purdue and plans to work with Professor Will Gray.

  • Leanne Skirzynski, M.A. student: Leanne earned her bachelor’s in history at California-Irvine, with a senior thesis on the Vienna coffee house scene over the long 20th century. Seeing that we have a Café Vienna here in the village, Leanne naturally chose to come to Purdue for an M.A.. She plans to study with Professor Will Gray.

  • Rachel Steely, M.A. student, Rachel says she learned the truth about history in the Texas public schools.  This may explain why she studied political science at Baylor University, but now she has returned to the fold for an M.A. in history.  Her interests lie in the intersections of law, corporate interests, and international relations (can it be?), and she plans to work with Professors Pitts and Larson.

  • Jordyn Ward, M.A. student: Jordyn is another refugee from political science, having earned her B.A. at Purdue.  She now wants an MA in history with a specialization in international relations and Asian Studies.  She hopes to work with Professors Atkinson, Hastings, and Wang.

  • Jon Wright, Post-Bacc. student: Jon currently works for Purdue’s information technology services unit, ITaP.  He holds a B.S. from Purdue in interdisciplinary science and a brand new B.A. in history.  He is now enrolling in graduate courses as a non-degree student interested in modern United States history.

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