‘Alumni Highlights’ Category

Mia Eisenbacher Library Career Internship

During the 2023 Fall semester, Mia Eisenbacher ’24 completed an internship at the Folke Bernadotte Memorial Library. Her faculty sponsor, Michelle Twait, sat down to talk with her about the experience. Could you say a few words about your internship at the Folke Bernadotte Memorial Library? What were your goals for the experience? What did […]

April Peterson Library Career Internship

During the 2022 J-Term, April Peterson ’22 completed a career internship at the Folke Bernadotte Library. Her faculty sponsor, Dylan Mohr, sat down to talk with her about the experience. Could you say a few words about your J-Term internship at Folke Bernadotte Library? What were your goals for the experience? What did your daily […]

From History Major to Housing Researcher and Planner

Kendyl Larson working in her office. For her senior History major capstone project at Gustavus, Kendyl (Landeck) Larson ’17 focused on the history of segregated housing in Hennepin County, Minnesota. Now she has completed her Master of Community and Regional Planning degree from Iowa State University and recently became Director of Research and Planning for […]

From History Major to IT (with Bandy Playing Interspersed)

History major Wyatt Wenzel, ’14, did not require a STEM degree to succeed in the IT sector, which he joined in the summer of 2015 as part of Minneapolis-based Traust Consulting. As he explains, “my Gustavus History BA armed me with a ton of skills that I really believe gave me a huge advantage. . […]

From History BA to Health Behavior PhD

Contrary to what one might assume, majoring in History at Gustavus prepares students to succeed in a host of fields which, at first glance, would seem to have nothing to do with studying the past. Stuart Grande, ’99, is yet another wonderful case in point. Following graduation, Stuart taught English in Eastern Europe, where he […]

Writing the History of Student Protest for Black Freedom and Equality

History alum Mike Jirik ’12 has published an eye-opening scholarly post about “[t]he history of student activism for Black freedom and equality” in Black Perspectives, published by the African American Intellectual History Society and considered “the leading online platform for public scholarship on global Black thought, history, and culture” (quoted from the website). Mike is […]

Biology and History Major’s Research Featured in The Atlantic Magazine

Alum Nadine Lysiak ’03 double majored in Biology and History (with Honors) and, as a junior, won a highly competitive Goldwater Scholarship from the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation. From Gustavus, Nadine went on to earn her Ph.D. in marine biology from Boston University, which has led her to various teaching […]

From History Major to Protector of Domestic Violence Victims

Kristine McLean ’14 recently earned her law degree, winning honors along the way. She embodies the Gustavus commitment to excellence and justice in her work, and as a History Major she feels well prepared for her chosen career. As Kristine elaborates: I graduated from Mitchell Hamline in May 2017. I sat for the Minn. bar […]

History, Biology, and Whales

What can you do with a History degree from Gustavus? The answers are varied and interesting! For example, Nadine Lysiak ’03, majored in Biology and History (with Honors) and went on to earn an MA and PhD in Marine Biology from Boston University (’07, ’09). Her studies led to an ongoing research and teaching career […]

History Matters at MATTER

Since graduating from Gustavus with a History major in 2014, Katie Schlangen has gone from teaching English in Korea to traveling to the African nations of Mali and Togo in her current capacity as International Hospital and Clinic Program Coordinator for MATTER, a Twin-Cities based international NGO. As Katie notes, MATTER “is starting a movement […]