History

What can I do with a History major?

The real question is why AREN’T you a history major?

The liberal arts education that you receive here at Simpson, particularly as a History major, provides you with abilities and skills that are highly sought after by employers, such as: the ability to express yourself clearly in front of people, being able to communicate your ideas in writing, the ability to think analytically, problem-solving, empathy for other points of view, understanding how to research and work independently.

What Recent History Alumni Are Doing Now:

  • Ryan Hildreth, a pilot in the US Air Force
  • Kristine Hemmings, Director of Employee Benefits for Hy-Vee
  • Shauna Kalmoe-Thomas, underwriter for Nationwide Insurance
  • Shara Tibken, reporter for The Wall Street Journal
  • Josie Rundlett, staffer for Senator Charles Grassley
  • Ryan Hervey, attorney for Aviva
  • David Albrecht, Americorps
  • Meredith Ferguson, History Intern for Iowa Department of the Blind
  • Leah Grothe, History and Government teacher at Norwalk High School

Why you SHOULD be a History Major:

A history major prepares you for so many different fields by providing you with the critical thinking and communications skills that are valued by employers as well as provides you the opportunity to explore the past in interesting and thoughtful ways. The history you’ll learn here at Simpson College is not the type of history you probably learned in high school — memorizing dates and names of dead people.

Instead, the study of history is about understanding where we came from so we can understand ourselves and the world we live in.

Don’t take our word for it? Turn over to see what our recent graduates have to say!

“Being a history major requires a lot of work from students, but it is also a very rewarding major….A Variety of courses are offered from professors who are invested in you personally and interested not only in what you have to say, but seeing you succeed as well….Being a history major affords students the unique opportunity to incorporate a wide variety of other fields of study to analyze history and learn not only what happened, but why, how and, ultimately why does it matter. . . . The SC department of history is one of the most widely respected departments among students on campus and their classes are highly sought after because they make learning fun.”
- Jenn Arnold, ’11

“What is so great about being a history major? Everything! Where do I start? The most valuable aspect of a history major is that the skills you learn in these classes transfer into so many other fields. I did not just learn the material needed to pass a test. Instead, I learned how to learn. The professors helped me to go from skimming the surface of a reading to critically analyzing it and understanding its importance. As I take classes in other fields, I utilize the skills I have learned from history classes to succeed. I value the writing skills that the professors have fostered in me over the years which have allowed me to clearly and accurately present my ideas to others. Another neat aspect of the history department is how passionate each of the professors are about what they are teaching. They engage the students and make them feel the same energy and love for the subject. The way they present history pulled me in, and I went from taking a few classes for fun to being a full-fledged history major. Plus, in what other classes to you get to create character and play games!”
- Lara Roy ‘11

"While at Simpson, I have learned there is much more to history than the memorization of dates and facts. In the past four years, the history faculty has challenged me to become actively engaged in the study of history through my participation in Reacting to the Past games, student-led discussions and a senior seminar that focuses on how and why history is written. The skills that I have acquired in past history courses — including public speaking, critical thinking and analytical writing — have not only been applicable to other classes taken at Simpson but have helped me prepare for my future career."
- Leah Grothe ’10 (teaching at Norwalk High School)

“History has always been one of my favorite subjects. … After completing an Accounting Major, I was glad to be able to get a History Major as well. The classes are never boring and the professors know how to make discussion and debate engaging enjoyable. … the history professors are great. They are enthusiastic about the subjects and this reflects upon the students.”
- Keith Bryan ‘10 (employed at Nationwide Insurance)

“The History department creates a fun-filled, caring environment to learn. Students quickly realize that learning history isn't just memorizing dates and facts but learning to ask ‘why’.”
- Sarah Aasheim ’10 (attending Graduate School)

“The approach of the Simpson History Department … Their focus is truly the students….[with classes] built for discussion rather than a tendency towards impersonal lectures. Students are taught to analyze the textbook approach to history and develop the skills necessary to observe the past. Innovations such as the Reacting to the Past series and courses such as Historiography tear down the walls between professor and student, so that the study of History become what it should be, a conversation.”
- David Albrecht, ’10 (working for Americorps)

Last Updated: 11/18/11