History

What made you decide to become a History major at Lake Forest College?

History was always one of my favorite subjects prior to matriculating at Lake Forest College. However, as a freshman, I wanted to keep my options open and consider all of the different possibilities for my major. Thus, I chose to take a broad range of courses during my first year. It quickly became clear that my English and History classes were the ones of greatest interest to me. Specifically, my History courses not only allowed me to write extensively, but also gave me the opportunity to learn about how today’s world came to be. As September 11, 2001 took place within a couple weeks of my arrival at Lake Forest, my history courses were helpful in gaining a greater perspective on the world. Even before the end of my freshman year, it was obvious that a double major in English and History was the right decision for me.

Was there a particular professor who had a significant impact on you?

As a History student, I took several European History courses with Professor Dan LeMahieu, who also was one of my advisors. Professor LeMahieu’s classes were my favorites, as he presented the material in a compelling way with a fantastic dry sense of humor. One thing that I particularly appreciated was that he tried to expose us to the material in a range of ways. In what I believe was a 20th Century British Culture class, in supplement to readings, we were asked to watch a number of films, as well as to listen to music (e.g. the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s album). In addition to making it fun to learn about history, this way of learning gave us a broader and more vivid understanding of Great Britain in the 20th century. When considering a particular issue, we were encouraged to draw our thoughts from a range of sources. We learned that a single source can’t provide you with a full understanding of a particular topic.

In what ways did being a history major help you after graduation?

After completing a summer internship in the Publications department at the Chicago Historical Society (now the Chicago History Museum) before my senior year at Lake Forest College, I knew that I wanted to go into the non-profit sector. I wanted to work for a museum, but was willing to keep an open mind in order to secure a good entry level job. Immediately after graduating from Lake Forest, I began working in the fundraising field in a behind-the-scenes role. Initially, I worked for a health care system in the Northern Chicago suburbs. After that, I joined the University of Chicago—first the medical center in 2008 and then the Booth School of Business in 2011. I also earned my MS in Public Service Management from DePaul University in 2009.

A significant portion of my current role involves writing, which is something that I did a great deal of as a History student. Often, I’m asked to develop fundraising materials by drawing from a range of sources with a very brief turnaround time. This requires me to be able to read quickly
and understand the key messages from the sources—another area where my History degree helps me. Based on my professional experience, having the ability to quickly digest a large amount of information and then communicate it in an articulate and succinct way is something that employers value.

Have you found that employers value the skills you acquired in your History major?

Majoring in History undoubtedly helped me become a better writer. It also helped me learn to work and think quickly. When you have a huge reading assignment to complete for a history course, as well as assignments for other courses, you learn to get through dense materials and pick out the key points quickly. In today’s fast paced world, employers like candidates who have experience completing tasks correctly and swiftly