SUNY Fredonia & History Day
For the last 3 years, SUNY Fredonia’s History Department has hosted the Western Southern Regional Tier competition for History Day. Middle school and high school students, mentored by their teachers and parents, have created exhibits, performances, papers, and documentaries that examined various people and events. We were very pleased with the hard work students put into their projects last year, and we are glad to report that Haleigh Hoebener, a Westfield Academy and Central School student, took her exhibit, “Television: Turning on America” to the national competition!
Haileigh Hoebener with her exhibit at the regional History Day competition. The suggestions that Haileigh received from SUNY Fredonia’s History faculty and student judges helped her to improve the project for the state and, ultimately, the national competition.
Each year, a theme gives students some direction: this year’s theme is Debate & Diplomacy: Successes, Failures, Consequences. There are so many ways to be involved in History Day. Whether you are a student, teacher, parent, college student, professor, or interested community member, we would be pleased to have you participate. For more information, please click here (link to pdf file) or contact Dr. Jennifer Hildebrand.
Certificate in Public History
The History Department at SUNY Fredonia is considering creating a certificate program in Public History that will provide training in historical methods, archival methods, exhibition planning and preparation, historic resource management, and so on. We envision a program that would require 15-18 graduate credit hours (5-6 courses), including course work in Public History and applied skills, historical research methodology, directed readings, and an internship and/or practicum. These courses would be available to both full- and part-time matriculated students and all courses included in the program would be applicable to an Interdisciplinary M.A./M.S. at SUNY Fredonia.
We have already completed a brief survey to measure interest in such a program, but are always glad to receive additional feedback. Please feel free to send questions or comments to Dr. John Staples.