Studying the Past While Shaping the FutureÑ The Department of History at Assumption College by Maureen Ryan Doyle Õ73

In the fast-paced world of the twenty-first century, where dot-com entrepre- neurs can become millionaires or paupers overnight, the past may be regarded by some as unimportant and of little influence. Why study the past when the present is so demanding and full of possibility? Dr. Paul Ziegler, chair of the Department of History, has a very good answer to that question: You study History because it is relevant, useful, and very exciting. ÒThe History Department at Assumption is filled with dynamism. We are broadening and redefining ourselves. Each faculty memberÕs scholarly research is applauded and our students are responding enthusiastically.Ó A series of faculty retirements in recent years have brought great change. The department seized that change as a challenge and an opportunity. ÒFor many years our department held a steady pace, providing great continuity and stability. We were always a good department, offering academically challenging courses.

We were always hard- working and dedicated to our students. But the world is changing and evolving and we, as a department, are changing too. Our teachers are catching the studentsÕ interests during their first years at Assumption. These teachers are enlivening the studentsÕ imaginations and teaching them in new and exciting ways. ÒWe made a judgment to move in a new direction. We wanted to broaden our horizons, so we hired a Latin Americanist, and soon an Asianist will also join us. We have always dealt well with Western themes. Now we are defining ourselves more in global and non-Western terms.Ó Dr. Ziegler, while impressed with the caliber of students he sees on a daily basis, points out that assistance is also available for the student who may need more support. ÒWe are seeing students who want to be challenged and who are a joy to teach. Dr. John McClymer is in charge of the Honors Program which strives to meet these studentsÕ needs. But we are also meeting the needs of the students at the other end of the spectrum, who may be struggling academically. Dr. Jed Watters works with these students, and he has brought great strength to the department. Dr. Watters helps these students by boosting their spirits and instilling in them the confidence that they can succeed. There is a college-wide program designed to facilitate the first year for students who need extra help. We have picked out certain teachers to meet with the students frequently and help them. The students receive guidance from special mentors and receive extra help from the Academic Support Center. As a result, our retention rate has increased significantly.Ó

The department is filled with gifted teachers who pursue diverse scholarly endeavors outside of the classroom. ÒDr. McClymer has developed a program with the public school system to train teachers. He is also deeply involved with womenÕs history. He has developed numerous Web sites and has been the recipient of grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities. ÒDr. John Chuchiak is our specialist in Latin American History. He is active in the Hispanic community in Worcester and has great dedication to his students. He often meets with students at night and will even hold a class on a Sunday, if that is what is convenient for those in his courses. ÒDr. Leslie Choquette is a prolific writer and has made great contributions to the department. She is also the director of the French Institute and an expert in the history of France and New France. ÒDr. Ken Moynihan has been writing the history of Worcester and is now hard at work on the history of Assumption. He has done extensive research in Rome for this project. ÒFr. David Gallo is on sabbatical, working on new courses focusing on the Ottoman Turks, as well as Louis XIV, court ritual, and culture. ÒDr. Richard Oehling will be on sabbatical next year, studying art and culture in London, Paris, and Berlin.

ÒI am finishing a biography on Lord Palmerston, the foremost British statesman of the nineteenth century. I will be spending part of this summer in London continuing this research. These various outside projects energize the department by reinvigorating the professors and the students.Ó This energy is carried on by the students throughout their college years and forward into their careers. Their career choices are diverse, reflecting the impact of a broad-based liberal arts curriculum. They are concentrating in History in record numbers. Seventy-seven students are currently majoring and minoring in this discipline. Why study History at Assumption? Students are finding new and exciting ways to critically analyze the past. And it is this study that will guide them, inspire them, and empower them to shape the future.