Life as a History Major at Bonaventure (Colin Bearer)

There is no greater joy than being a student. One can enjoy the independence of living away from family and experience the happiness of living in community with your peers, without many of the burdens and responsibilities that one must take on upon entering adulthood. With this in mind I chose to study history at St. Bonaventure University not with an eye on my future career, though that was certainly in my mind, but in the belief that I should study that subject which I most enjoy. I have never regretted this decision. Through my four years of study at university I have learned to appreciate new perspectives on topics that I once considered to be historical fact, have gained a wider knowledge of both American and World history, learned to appreciate the rigors and challenge of historical research, greatly improved my writing skills, and gained invaluable professional experience as an intern in the Friedsam Library archives. Studying history has not only been a fun and gratifying experience, but it has also allowed me to learn a number of professional skills which I can widely apply in either my future career or future studies at graduate school.

More on Film

Last week in History 429 we looked at musicals focusing on the work of Busby Berkeley. One of the films we looked at was Gold Diggers of 1933.

History Major Jason Mahar to Present at Phi Alpha Theta Regional Conference

Jason Mahar, a senior majoring in history at St. Bonaventure University, will present at the 2013 Phi Alpha Theta Northeast Regional Conference. The conference will be held at Ramapo College of New Jersey on Sunday, April 20, 2013. The title of Jason's paper is "Albert Gallatin: A Visionary Clouded by Debt." Although Gallatin was the fourth Secretary of the Treasury who served under Jefferson and Madison, he has not received much attention by historians. To date, there is only a handful of biographies and one critique of his financial system. In his paper, Jason looks at Gallatin's tenure as Secretary of the Treasury, focusing on the flaws in his system of finance and his greater dreams for an interconnected America. Jason's research demonstrates how Gallatin's excessive focus on debt prevented his dreams from becoming reality during his time.

My Time at Bonaventure as a History Major: Maria Swieciki

My senior year of high school, my guidance counselor wanted to kill me. You see, I did the one thing every guidance counselor/college advisor warns against: I applied to only one school—Saint Bonaventure University. Although she nagged me relentlessly to apply elsewhere, I refused. With a decades long family connection to SBU, I knew I didn’t want to go to college anywhere else and so I figured why waste the time and money applying to schools I have no interest in attending? As my frowned upon actions clearly suggest, my desire to be a Bonnie was unwavering.

However, once a freshman at SBU, I did not maintain the same kind of conviction when it came to declaring a major. In fact, my degree options were all over the place. I was considering Art, Spanish, Psychology, History, etc. I had such a wide range of interests, it was hard for me to settle on only one major. After taking a number of History courses and after taking into consideration the lifelong interest and passion I’d had for the subject, I decided to declare as a History major at the beginning of my sophomore year.

Now, as a second semester senior, that decision was over two years ago and I haven’t regretted it once. Not only have I had the opportunity to take many different kinds of History classes, such as Middle Eastern history and Latin American history, but also I’ve had the opportunity to be under the guidance and instruction of great professors. For me, my history professors are the reason why I’ve had such an excellent experience pursuing this degree. Although they all have different personal backgrounds and different areas of focus, they all share a passion for the study of history and a strong commitment to their students.

My Time at Bonaventure as a History Major (Colin O'Donnell)

My first day at Saint Bonaventure University was memorable to say the least. It was ‘Spring Into Bonas’ in the spring of 2009, and, as a future History major, I sat down in a classroom for a brief orientation. Dr. Joel Horowitz spent a brief twenty minutes discussing the history of the entire world. It was an informal lecture but very much informative. I answered my first question at Saint Bonaventure incorrectly and thus, off to a great start.

            Almost four years later, I remember that day in that classroom, and how it mirrored days to come. I could talk to Dr. Horowitz like a friend, and he never hesitated when it came to answering a question that I, or any other student, had. I soon discovered that just about every other History professor was exactly like that. Their interpersonal tact, and the way they drove us to ask questions, all of it made me realize not why the world and its people are here, but how we got here.

My Time at Bona’s as a History Major (Bella Quijano)

When I first arrived at St. Bonaventure, I had no clue what I wanted to study.  I was one of the  "undecided" students.  My first semester was full of new and wonderful experiences. I was not very concerned about picking a major. I just figured it would come to me at some point, and it did! I did not want to remain undecided for long, so I thought about what I truly enjoyed about learning and what exactly fascinated me. History fit the bill.

              The main reason I came to St. Bonaventure was because of its size.  In a small school I knew that I would have a better relationship with my teachers. Before deciding on any major, I really wanted to connect with my professors. I instantly connected with all of my history professors. All my history professors have been wonderful. In every history class I have taken, all my history professors have created an environment where everyone, not just history buffs, thrives and contributes to the discussion.

Gabriel over the White House

I've been owing the History blog an entry for some time so it seems appropriate to mention Gabriel over the White House. We are teaching the film in History 429: 20th Century America in Film and History. The 1933 film appeared just after Franklin Roosevelt's Inauguration (March 1933) and is a call for a fascist style dictatorship that would push aside the inefficiencies of democracy to fix the nation's woes.