USU History Grads

With a degree in history, you can go on to do almost anything you desire. Some of our graduates are now professors of history, secondary school teachers, librarians, archivists, writers, government employees, museum curators, etc. Check out what they have accomplished and what they have to say about our graduate program in history.
Lawrence Culver (M.A. 1997) History Professor
		The graduate program in History at Utah State University provided me with an excellent preparation for success in a doctoral program and in my academic career. For students interested in Environmental History, Native American History, the History of the American West, and other fields, USU offers the opportunity to work with faculty who are prominent and active in their research areas, yet can still provide one-on-one attention unlike in larger doctoral programs. "The Western Historical Quarterly and faculty strengths in related disciplines such as English, Folklore, and Natural Resources make USU an excellent choice for students interested in the history, cultures, and environments of the American West. Having skiing, hiking, and camping opportunities right next to campus, and several spectacular national parks within a day’s drive, also make Logan a good hub for exploring outdoor recreation in the region. My M.A. from Utah State equipped me with the research skills necessary for success in a Ph.D. program, gave me valuable experience in Public History, and helped lead me to a successful academic career. I would highly recommend USU to students interested in pursuing the graduate study of History."
Jared Farmer (B.A. 1996) History Professor
		While a student at USU, Jared Farmer worked at the Western Historical Quarterly and did the research for his first book, Glen Canyon Dammed: Inventing Lake Powell and the Canyon Country (The University of Arizona Press, 1999). He went on to earn an M.A. in history at the University of Montana and a Ph.D. in history at Stanford University. Afterward, he was a post-doctoral fellow at the Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West. Now an assistant professor, he teaches western history at one of the easternmost universities in America—the State University of New York at Stony Brook. His most recent book is On Zion’s Mount: Mormons, Indians, and the American Landscape (Harvard University Press, 2008).
James Feldman (M.A. 1996, Editorial Fellow, WHQ 1994-96) History and Environmental Studies Professor at University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Jim Feldman with Chris Conte at Environmental History Conference in Boise, Idaho, 2008		Jim completed his PhD in history at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh in 2004. His article "The View From Sand Island: Reconsidering the Peripheral Economy, 1880-1940," WHQ 35 no.3 (Autumn 2004): 285-307, won the 2005 Theodore C. Blegen Award for the best article in forest and conservation history from the Forest History Society. He also won the 2004 Bert M. Fireman Award from the Western History Association for that article. He is now an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. He is finishing a book on the the history of wilderness at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. "My time at Utah State was tremendously valuable, both professionally and personally. I learned how to be a much better writer, researcher, editor, and historian. When I enrolled in my PhD program, I found that I was far better prepared than many of my peers, largely because of my experiences in the USU history department. I made important connections with faculty and other students, many of which persist today. I met people who became dear friends. And those mountains! I miss them still."
Brett Rushforth History Professor, Director of Native American Studies, Brigham Young University "The USU master's program in history was an ideal start to my academic career. Although highly demanding, the environment at Utah State was collegial and supportive, and small enough that I received a lot of individual attention. The faculty are first-rate scholars and teachers, which was no surprise to me, but I was stunned by the quality of students in my cohort. Many of them are now fellow academics who continue to excel in their fields. Many others have succeeded in law, public history, or other related careers. I think I really only appreciated how strong USU's program was when I began my Ph.D. program and found that my time at USU had given me an unusually solid foundation in historigraphy, research methods, writing, and teaching. I cannot endorse the program strongly enough."
Michael Lansing (*M.A. 1998, Robert M. Utley Editorial Fellow, WHQ* 1996-1998) History Professor at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, MN** "My time in the M.A. program at Utah State provided a solid foundation for my Ph.D. program and for my career. The wide range of course offerings belied the small size and intimacy of the program. Furthermore, the chance to work at the Western Historical Quarterly deepened my understanding of how the profession works as well as the scholarship it produces. Finally, the department sports fine historians that insisted on my intellectual and personal development. The amount of time and energy they devoted to fledgling graduate students still continues to amaze me. Keenly aware of the challenges I would face as a professional historian, department members did everything they could to prepare me for success. And if you like the outdoors (as I do), it's hard to imagine a better place to spend two years than Logan."
Todd Anderson Department Administrator, Department of Sociology, University of Wisconsin - Madison "In my opinion, the value of the 'graduate' experience is much more than the sum of the degrees granted, tenure-track positions obtained or job markets stormed. Graduate school should be about the cultivation of a rich intellectual life. Already a career civil servant, I chose to go to graduate school for the intellectual journey and USU did not disappoint. The faculty and staff of the history department fostered the kind of discourse, research and exploration I craved. Although I did not continue along a traditional academic track, my experience in the history department at USU (including, but not limited to, working with committed and enthusiastic faculty and hiking the Wasatch and Wellsville ranges with an engaging graduate cohort) proved invaluable by providing the perfect environment in which to explore and discover our shared past. In honor of this experience, I try to ask what I can do, as a university administrator, to ensure that students and faculty in my department have the kind of opportunities I enjoyed at USU."
Ann Vileisis Writer, researcher, and editor
		"My time as a student in the USU History Dept. helped me to develop concrete skills as a researcher and writer and also gave me the opportunity to follow my own research interests. The professors were excellent, inspiring teachers--great people to learn from. USU’s stunning mountain setting and Logan’s small town atmosphere added to the experience.” Ann Vileisis is an independent scholar and writer. Her first book, Discovering the Unknown Landscape: A History of America’s Wetlands (Island Press, 1997) was recognized with 2 prestigious history awards: the American Historical Association's Herbert Feis Award (1999), for the year's best book by an independent scholar or public historian, and the American Society for Environmental History's George Perkins Marsh Prize (1999) for the best environmental history book of 1997 and 1998. Her new book, Kitchen Literacy: How We Lost Knowledge of Where Food Comes From and Why We Need to Get it Back (Island Press, 2007), has been reviewed widely in publications including The Washington Post. See this Web site for more information on Ann Vileisis' accomplishments.
Heather Block Lawton Head of Special Collections for the Minneapolis Public Library
		"The exceptional education I received in Utah State University’s graduate program in history prepared me to excel in my career as an archivist. I am currently employed at a large metropolitan library where I manage an extensive collection of manuscripts and rare books. I landed a job in this highly competitive field largely because my M.A. degree in history from USU gave me a significant advantage over other applicants. In my position I have the immense privilege of working with historical materials in a variety of ways. During the last month I have lectured a group of potential donors on the history of printing, taught high school students how to incorporate primary source materials into their History Day projects, worked with the mayor to plan a sesquicentennial celebration, assisted a National Public Radio reporter with background research for an upcoming story, created a conservation plan for a million dollar book, and wrote a book review for a professional publication. I love the work do and I credit much of my success to the excellent graduate training I received from USU’s first-rate history faculty. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to spend two years learning from such an extraordinary group of people."
Troy Reeves Head, Oral History Program, University Archives and Records Management Services, UW-Madison "My history department graduate school experience bettered--Is this a word or a Bushism--me in myriad ways. I left Logan as a better researcher, writer, and speaker. I left with a better appreciation for the natural environment, due to all the walk, hikes, and bikes that I tried. I also left Logan with colleagues who have become my dearest friends. Three of my former grad school comrades served as groomsmen at my wedding, plus now that I reside in Madison, WI, I have lunch with two of them once a month. And, I left Logan with a master’s degree, which gave me the chance to apply and to be hired for permanent positions at public history and university archives settings."
Ryan Waite High School Teacher "My experience in the Utah State University Masters of History program might be a little different than most. I am a public school Advanced Placement U.S. History teacher who has commuted to Logan from Ogden on the average of two nights a week after teaching classes all day. Before entering this program I had been enrolled in a Masters of Education program at another university in the state and had completed 20 semester hours toward that degree. "I found that program to be unsatisfying because I did not feel engaged by my professors. I also struggled to see how what I was learning would directly translate into useable things in my classroom. My experiences at Utah State are the exact opposite. The history department faculty that I have worked with are passionate about their area of expertise and pass that enthusiasm on to those in the program. I have taken many things from the books I have read and the discussions we have had in seminars and incorporated them into my lecture material, thus enriching my own classes. "I also feel that I am able to more effectively question and engage my own students on a more critical level than I could before entering the USU program. The professors at USU are not interested simply getting the students in the program to jump through the “hoops” to graduation; I believe that I have become a better writer, historian, and critical thinker thanks to my association with the members of the history department at USU."
Toni Rae Linenburger Government Historian Toni Linenburger is a historian for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. She was a key figure in a conference held near Hoover Dam in June 2002. The conference marked the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Bureau under the Newlands Reclamation Act. This law has played a key role in the transformation of the American West.
Jennifer Walele (O'Neil) ( B.A. and M.A. 2001) Government Historian Last year Jennifer finished another master's degree (Library Science, University of Arizona) and was then awarded a fellowship at Princeton's Archive Library where she was subsequently hired as a temporary employee. She now lives in Washington DC and works as a historian at the State Department. She writes that she loves her job and enjoys living there.
Paige Lewis (B.A. 1991, M.A. 1994) Director of Policy and External Affairs Paige Lewis is the Director of Policy and External Affairs of the Colorado State Forest Service.
John Barnes, (Robert M. Utley Editorial Fellow, WHQ, M.A. 2004) Communications Director for the Washington Policy Institute in Seattle, WA John Barnes published an article based on his master’s research: “The Struggle to Control the Past: Commemoration, Memory, and the Bear River Massacre of 1863,” The Public Historian 30, no.1 (February 2008): 81-104.
Kimberlee Fitzgerald (B.A. 1997, M.A. 1999) Secret Service Employee Kimberlee Fitzgerald works for the U.S. Secret Service, a division of the Department of the Treasury. Her job can entail protecting either high-ranking U.S. government officials, their wives and families or visiting foreign dignitaries. Fitzgerald’s duties brought her to the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics where she was assigned to safeguard Lynne Cheney, the wife of Vice-President Dick Cheney.

With a degree in history, you can go on to do almost anything you desire. Some of our graduates are now professors of history, secondary school teachers, librarians, archivists, writers, government employees, museum curators, etc. Check out what they have accomplished and what they have to say about our graduate program in history.

Lawrence Culver (M.A. 1997)
History Professor

The graduate program in History at Utah State University provided me with an excellent preparation for success in a doctoral program and in my academic career. For students interested in Environmental History, Native American History, the History of the American West, and other fields, USU offers the opportunity to work with faculty who are prominent and active in their research areas, yet can still provide one-on-one attention unlike in larger doctoral programs.

"The Western Historical Quarterly and faculty strengths in related disciplines such as English, Folklore, and Natural Resources make USU an excellent choice for students interested in the history, cultures, and environments of the American West. Having skiing, hiking, and camping opportunities right next to campus, and several spectacular national parks within a day’s drive, also make Logan a good hub for exploring outdoor recreation in the region. My M.A. from Utah State equipped me with the research skills necessary for success in a Ph.D. program, gave me valuable experience in Public History, and helped lead me to a successful academic career. I would highly recommend USU to students interested in pursuing the graduate study of History."

Jared Farmer (B.A. 1996)
History Professor

While a student at USU, Jared Farmer worked at the Western Historical Quarterly and did the research for his first book, Glen Canyon Dammed: Inventing Lake Powell and the Canyon Country (The University of Arizona Press, 1999). He went on to earn an M.A. in history at the University of Montana and a Ph.D. in history at Stanford University. Afterward, he was a post-doctoral fellow at the Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West. Now an assistant professor, he teaches western history at one of the easternmost universities in America—the State University of New York at Stony Brook. His most recent book is On Zion’s Mount: Mormons, Indians, and the American Landscape (Harvard University Press, 2008).

James Feldman (M.A. 1996, Editorial Fellow, WHQ 1994-96)
History and Environmental Studies Professor at University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

Jim Feldman with Chris Conte at Environmental History Conference in Boise, Idaho, 2008

Jim completed his PhD in history at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh in 2004. His article "The View From Sand Island: Reconsidering the Peripheral Economy, 1880-1940," WHQ 35 no.3 (Autumn 2004): 285-307, won the 2005 Theodore C. Blegen Award for the best article in forest and conservation history from the Forest History Society. He also won the 2004 Bert M. Fireman Award from the Western History Association for that article. He is now an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. He is finishing a book on the the history of wilderness at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

"My time at Utah State was tremendously valuable, both professionally and personally. I learned how to be a much better writer, researcher, editor, and historian. When I enrolled in my PhD program, I found that I was far better prepared than many of my peers, largely because of my experiences in the USU history department. I made important connections with faculty and other students, many of which persist today. I met people who became dear friends. And those mountains! I miss them still."

Brett Rushforth
History Professor, Director of Native American Studies, Brigham Young University

"The USU master's program in history was an ideal start to my academic career. Although highly demanding, the environment at Utah State was collegial and supportive, and small enough that I received a lot of individual attention. The faculty are first-rate scholars and teachers, which was no surprise to me, but I was stunned by the quality of students in my cohort. Many of them are now fellow academics who continue to excel in their fields. Many others have succeeded in law, public history, or other related careers. I think I really only appreciated how strong USU's program was when I began my Ph.D. program and found that my time at USU had given me an unusually solid foundation in historigraphy, research methods, writing, and teaching. I cannot endorse the program strongly enough."

Michael Lansing (M.A. 1998, Robert M. Utley Editorial Fellow, WHQ 1996-1998)
History Professor at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, MN

"My time in the M.A. program at Utah State provided a solid foundation for my Ph.D. program and for my career. The wide range of course offerings belied the small size and intimacy of the program. Furthermore, the chance to work at the Western Historical Quarterly deepened my understanding of how the profession works as well as the scholarship it produces. Finally, the department sports fine historians that insisted on my intellectual and personal development. The amount of time and energy they devoted to fledgling graduate students still continues to amaze me. Keenly aware of the challenges I would face as a professional historian, department members did everything they could to prepare me for success. And if you like the outdoors (as I do), it's hard to imagine a better place to spend two years than Logan."

Todd Anderson
Department Administrator, Department of Sociology, University of Wisconsin - Madison

"In my opinion, the value of the 'graduate' experience is much more than the sum of the degrees granted, tenure-track positions obtained or job markets stormed. Graduate school should be about the cultivation of a rich intellectual life. Already a career civil servant, I chose to go to graduate school for the intellectual journey and USU did not disappoint. The faculty and staff of the history department fostered the kind of discourse, research and exploration I craved. Although I did not continue along a traditional academic track, my experience in the history department at USU (including, but not limited to, working with committed and enthusiastic faculty and hiking the Wasatch and Wellsville ranges with an engaging graduate cohort) proved invaluable by providing the perfect environment in which to explore and discover our shared past. In honor of this experience, I try to ask what I can do, as a university administrator, to ensure that students and faculty in my department have the kind of opportunities I enjoyed at USU."

Ann Vileisis
Writer, researcher, and editor

"My time as a student in the USU History Dept. helped me to develop concrete skills as a researcher and writer and also gave me the opportunity to follow my own research interests. The professors were excellent, inspiring teachers--great people to learn from. USU’s stunning mountain setting and Logan’s small town atmosphere added to the experience.”

Ann Vileisis is an independent scholar and writer. Her first book, Discovering the Unknown Landscape: A History of America’s Wetlands (Island Press, 1997) was recognized with 2 prestigious history awards: the American Historical Association's Herbert Feis Award (1999), for the year's best book by an independent scholar or public historian, and the American Society for Environmental History's George Perkins Marsh Prize (1999) for the best environmental history book of 1997 and 1998.

Her new book, Kitchen Literacy: How We Lost Knowledge of Where Food Comes From and Why We Need to Get it Back (Island Press, 2007), has been reviewed widely in publications including The Washington Post.

See this Web site for more information on Ann Vileisis' accomplishments.

Heather Block Lawton
Head of Special Collections for the Minneapolis Public Library

"The exceptional education I received in Utah State University’s graduate program in history prepared me to excel in my career as an archivist. I am currently employed at a large metropolitan library where I manage an extensive collection of manuscripts and rare books. I landed a job in this highly competitive field largely because my M.A. degree in history from USU gave me a significant advantage over other applicants. In my position I have the immense privilege of working with historical materials in a variety of ways. During the last month I have lectured a group of potential donors on the history of printing, taught high school students how to incorporate primary source materials into their History Day projects, worked with the mayor to plan a sesquicentennial celebration, assisted a National Public Radio reporter with background research for an upcoming story, created a conservation plan for a million dollar book, and wrote a book review for a professional publication. I love the work do and I credit much of my success to the excellent graduate training I received from USU’s first-rate history faculty. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to spend two years learning from such an extraordinary group of people."

Troy Reeves
Head, Oral History Program, University Archives and Records Management Services, UW-Madison

"My history department graduate school experience bettered--Is this a word or a Bushism--me in myriad ways. I left Logan as a better researcher, writer, and speaker. I left with a better appreciation for the natural environment, due to all the walk, hikes, and bikes that I tried. I also left Logan with colleagues who have become my dearest friends. Three of my former grad school comrades served as groomsmen at my wedding, plus now that I reside in Madison, WI, I have lunch with two of them once a month. And, I left Logan with a master’s degree, which gave me the chance to apply and to be hired for permanent positions at public history and university archives settings."

Ryan Waite
High School Teacher

"My experience in the Utah State University Masters of History program might be a little different than most. I am a public school Advanced Placement U.S. History teacher who has commuted to Logan from Ogden on the average of two nights a week after teaching classes all day. Before entering this program I had been enrolled in a Masters of Education program at another university in the state and had completed 20 semester hours toward that degree.

"I found that program to be unsatisfying because I did not feel engaged by my professors. I also struggled to see how what I was learning would directly translate into useable things in my classroom. My experiences at Utah State are the exact opposite. The history department faculty that I have worked with are passionate about their area of expertise and pass that enthusiasm on to those in the program. I have taken many things from the books I have read and the discussions we have had in seminars and incorporated them into my lecture material, thus enriching my own classes.

"I also feel that I am able to more effectively question and engage my own students on a more critical level than I could before entering the USU program. The professors at USU are not interested simply getting the students in the program to jump through the “hoops” to graduation; I believe that I have become a better writer, historian, and critical thinker thanks to my association with the members of the history department at USU."

Toni Rae Linenburger
Government Historian

Toni Linenburger is a historian for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. She was a key figure in a conference held near Hoover Dam in June 2002. The conference marked the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Bureau under the Newlands Reclamation Act. This law has played a key role in the transformation of the American West.

Jennifer Walele (O'Neil) ( B.A. and M.A. 2001)
Government Historian

Last year Jennifer finished another master's degree (Library Science, University of Arizona) and was then awarded a fellowship at Princeton's Archive Library where she was subsequently hired as a temporary employee. She now lives in Washington DC and works as a historian at the State Department. She writes that she loves her job and enjoys living there.

Paige Lewis (B.A. 1991, M.A. 1994)
Director of Policy and External Affairs

Paige Lewis is the Director of Policy and External Affairs of the Colorado State Forest Service.

John Barnes, (Robert M. Utley Editorial Fellow, WHQ, M.A. 2004)
Communications Director for the Washington Policy Institute in Seattle, WA

John Barnes published an article based on his master’s research: “The Struggle to Control the Past: Commemoration, Memory, and the Bear River Massacre of 1863,” The Public Historian 30, no.1 (February 2008): 81-104.

Kimberlee Fitzgerald (B.A. 1997, M.A. 1999)
Secret Service Employee

Kimberlee Fitzgerald works for the U.S. Secret Service, a division of the Department of the Treasury. Her job can entail protecting either high-ranking U.S. government officials, their wives and families or visiting foreign dignitaries. Fitzgerald’s duties brought her to the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics where she was assigned to safeguard Lynne Cheney, the wife of Vice-President Dick Cheney.



Mark Damen designed this web site and Diane Buist is the current web master. Comments? Questions about the History Department? Monica.Ingold@usu.edu Comments? Questions about the web site? Mark.Damen@usu.edu or Diane.Buist@usu.edu

Utah State University Logan UT 84322 Campus Operator: 435.797.1000	Department of History , Main 323 Logan, UT 84322-0710 435.797.1290 Fax 435.797.3899