Chair's Welcome
Greetings from the History Department at CSUF! It is with great excitement that we revive the department newsletter to connect with our emeriti, donors, alumni, and friends of the department. We have much to share; here are some highlights:
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, the department has three new awards: the Dr. Jeffrey Griffith '13 Award in U.S. History for our majors and graduate students, the Woodard History Faculty Travel Grant, and a one-time Leland and Marlita Bellot Release Time Award. Four of our student scholarship funds have also been recently endowed: the Seymour Scheinberg Jewish Studies Award, the Jorice Maag Local History Scholarship, the Dr. Jeffrey Griffith Award, and the Black Family Fellowship.
Donations to the History Department fund activities that enable us to nurture a strong sense of community and provide programming that equips our students to be conscientious stewards of the past - while having fun! With nearly 400 History majors and over 100 graduate students in our program, many of whom commute to campus and juggle heavy work and family responsibilities, we aim to make the History Department a haven where they can pursue their passion for history by connecting with each other as well as alums, faculty, emeriti, donors, and friends of the History Department. At our annual History Undergraduate Student Conference, we welcomed long-time friend of the department Cheryl Koos and alums Allie Frickert and Kristen Anthony as discussants. It was wonderful to catch up with them and for our students to forge new connections.
We hope you might consider supporting the History Department during the Titans Give campaign on March 12, when donations can have an even greater impact through matching opportunities offered throughout the day. Thanks to a generous supporter, when 10 donors make a gift to the History Department, $1,500 will be unlocked. Gifts of any size, even as little as $5, can add up to make a huge impact. Extra funds are up for grabs with contests and challenges throughout the day that reward us based on participation—your gift could help us win! Check out the History Department Titans Give page to see our progress on March 12.
In Fall 2025, we will welcome Dr. Andie Reid to our department. Andie will partner with the university and community to build Native American and Indigenous Studies at CSUF.
We revised the curriculum for the History major to expand students’ geographical and historical breadth and train them in skills that prepare them for careers in a wide range of fields.
We will be moving the offices of the History Department to the sixth floor of Pollak Library South. We'll be across the hallway from the Lawrence de Graaf Center for Oral and Public History and share the floor with the Institute for Black Intellectual Innovation. Mark your calendars for our grand opening on October 10, 2025!
After more than two decades with the History Department, Linda Rodgers retired at the end of 2022. We celebrated Linda’s retirement and wish her well as she embarks on new adventures.
Please scroll down to read what students, faculty, and alums have been doing. If you would like to contribute to our next newsletter, there is a button at the bottom to submit your entry. Thank you for being part of the History Department community!
All the best,
Lisa Tran, History Department Chair
Read the latest edition of the History Department's award-winning student-managed journal, The Welebaethan. Under the direction of Dr. Jochen Burgtorf, The Welebaethan continues to set the standard for excellence.
At our annual History Student Conference, students gain professional experience presenting at an academic conference.
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, the History Department is able to award our students and faculty for their excellence.
Faculty News
Alumni News
Our Students and the Faculty Who Support Them
Have news to share or something you wish to spotlight in our next newsletter?