Department of History
"History comes alive at the University of Montana. Drawing on their extensive publications and archival research, the faculty of the history department make history relevant and interesting."
History teaches the ability to think critically, synthesize logically and organize systematically, and communicate clearly skills valuable in any endeavour. History is an eclectic discipline that combines the best of liberal arts education with a broad pre-professional background. As the core discipline of the various Liberal Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities, History is the mother of many contemporary offspring, including Political Science, Anthropology, Economics, Geography, and Sociology. Only History offers a comprehensive outlook on the human experience.
- The professors in the history department have won a number of national and international awards for their scholarship and for their teaching.
- The department includes accomplished scholars who are dedicated to teaching and who make themselves accessible to students.
Graduate Student Milena Oganesyan
Milena Oganesyan
Hometown: Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia
Research mentor/advisor: Dr. Michael Mayer
Topic of Research: "James A. Baker III and Eduard A. Shevardnadze: The Story of the 1991 Madrid Conference"
Milena Oganesyan came to the University of Montana as a visiting scholar in the fall of 2005 after completing her undergraduate work in international relations and the history of the Middle East at Tbilisi Institute of Asia and Africa, a leading university in her native Republic of Georgia. With some assistance from UM, Tbilisi Institute is in the process of developing an area in American Studies, and Milena’s initial semester at UM was part of an exchange program with Tbilisi. During that semester, she so impressed the faculty at UM that several encouraged her to continue her graduate work in the United States. She is now a graduate student in history and works as a teaching assistant in the history department. Her work on U.S. foreign policy is aided by her proficiency in languages; she speaks Georgian, Russian, English, and Armenian fluently. She also has studied Turkish, Arabic, Ottoman, and Spanish. Milena is writing her thesis on “James A. Baker III and Eduard A. Shevardnadze: The Story of the 1991 Madrid Conference,” a topic that makes use of her knowledge of the history of the Middle East as well as her familiarity with the Caucasus and her proficiency in languages.
Other Activities:
2006/2007 P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship Recipient
2006 Leadership Conference: "Blueprints: Planning for Success," UM
2006 Montana International Educators State Meeting, Boulder Hot Springs, MT
2002/2003 Undergraduate Exchange Program Alumna
Languages: Georgian, Russian, Armenian, English, Arabic, Turkish.
Undergraduate Student Sara Terry
Sara Terry
Research mentor/advisor: Dr. Linda Frey
Topic of Research: Modern Europe, specifically France, Germany and Italy. Sara is also interested in the social and cultural history of immigrants in America from 1830 to present. Current research has focused on the immigrant experience during World War II, and the internment camp at Fort Missoula, Montana.
Achievements:
Maintains a 3.9 GPA
University of Montana Dean’s List since 2002
College of Arts and Sciences Scholar
National Dean’s List
Member of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society
Sara is graduating in May 2007 with High Honors.
