Congratulations to our award winners!
We are delighted to honor our highest-achieving students in this strangest of all years, 2019-20. Normally we would meet and celebrate together on campus, with faculty and parents proudly looking on as our award-winning students accept their prizes and have their pictures taken. We are all deeply saddened to miss this important event this year, but our pride in our students’ success is as great as ever! If you haven’t caught our personal good wishes yet, they’re posted on the home page.
The following students have each exhibited extraordinary achievement in their work in our department:
The Koppel S. Pinson Prize for top overall graduating senior
Hannah Berman
“From the moment I first stepped foot on the Queens College campus back in 2017, I had every intention of becoming a history major. It became evident to me throughout my high school years that history was the subject I loved most—it was the field that I wished to delve into as deeply as possible and the one that I also could never learn enough about. Yet, in my young, naïve mind, I assumed I already understood what it meant to study history, and had certain expectations of what exactly I stood to gain from pursuing it. However, my experience as a history major at Queens College has demonstrated how wrong my initial thinking truly was. The faculty of the Queens College History Department challenged me to step outside of my preconceived notions and to realign my long-held intellectual beliefs. I had the knowledge and foundation for studying history, but my history professors taught me how to critically analyze and question established historical narratives in order to view them from new angles. They exposed me to multifaceted and unique perspectives that served as a more accurate lens to examine various historical events, characters, and ideas, helping me to look beyond personal biases to truly understand the historical subject before me. History became so much more than a timeline of events or successfully remembering names and dates; it is a way to recognize the connections between the past and the present, and how that will impact the future. History defines who we are and determines the reality in which we play a part; therefore, it is our responsibility to understand where we have come from, where we are currently, and how we can use the legacies of the past to construct a better society for the coming generations. While the COVID-19 pandemic has created a situation I neither expected nor hoped for at the end of my senior year, I know that the teachings and ideas of my history professors will always remain with me, and help carry me into the next phase of my studies in the field of history. Finally, I would like to express my appreciation to the Queens College History Department for awarding me with the prestigious Koppel S. Pinson Prize—it truly is an honor.”
The Gaudens Megaro Prize for top graduating senior in European history: Peter Kropf
The Solomon Lutnick Prize for top graduating senior in U.S. history
Skyler Browder
“I am humbled and honored to receive the Solomon Lutnick Prize. If anyone had told me years ago that I would be graduating college with honors I would not have believed them. My path to higher education was a non-linear one, filled with setbacks, usually of my own making. I struggled for many years with substance abuse issues, which impacted my high school performance and I assumed that school just wasn't for me. After getting sober and becoming a single parent I realized that the best way to create a life for my son and I was to return to school. Leaving my hometown and coming to Queens College was the best decision that I made, I had wonderful professors, and best of all I've met all of my friends here, friends who like me are non-traditional students walking through life with various struggles, but all striving for something more. I put my all into my time at Queens College and in return I received the best education. Coming from a rural community to the big city can be daunting and overwhelming, but I cannot say enough about the CUNY system, and public college. I am proud to receive my degree from and institution that makes college affordable for all, and I will continue my path in education through the CUNY system this fall when I start a Master's Program at Hunter College.”
The Richard W. Emery Prize for top graduating senior in Premodern history
Ezra Hurvitz
“It is my great honor to accept the Richard W. Emery Prize for distinguished scholarship in pre-1500 European history. Queens College has allowed me to academically grow my life-long love of history with exceptional educators and fulfilling research. Following my Spring 2020 graduation I have the privilege of continuing my historical studies-building off the training I’ve received as I pursue my teaching certification for 7th through 12th grade Social Studies. In this career as a future educator and alumnus of Queens College, I aspire to continually remember and eventually embody our schools guiding motto; Discimus ut serviamus. – We learn so that we may serve.”
The Benny Kraut Prize in Jewish History for top graduating senior in Jewish history
Elianna Lamb
“I am very honored to be receiving this prize. Learning about Jewish history is very important to me as an Orthodox Jew. I believe it is important for me to learn about my heritage, culture, and traditions. I am especially interested in learning about the Holocaust because my grandfather was forced to leave Germany in 1940 with his family, after his father and brother were released from the concentration camp Buchenwald. Being able to hear about his experiences made me interested in pursuing Holocaust studies on a deeper level and I am so privileged that I was able to do this during my time at Queens College. Before I came to Queens College, I spent a year in Israel learning Judaic studies and immersing myself in the land and its history. This experience gave me a strong desire to learn more about the history of the state of Israel. In Queens College I took advantage of the many interesting courses about the state of Israel and gained a tremendous amount of knowledge about Jewish history from them. Each class presented the information in a respectful and non-biased manner which I very much appreciated. I attended these classes with students from all backgrounds and religions. Queens College provided a comfortable environment in which to learn about this somewhat complicated and sensitive topic, and I felt that all of the students no matter their background, gained from these courses. I am very much appreciative to all of the professors and staff in the history department who have guided me along this path, and I hope to use the knowledge and skills that they have provided in all of my future academic pursuits.”
The Vasiliki Tsilas Prize for top graduating senior in regions other than the US and Europe
Sameen Tayyab
The Melina Mercouri Prize for top graduating senior in Greek or European history
David Grodenchik
“I lived down the block from Queens College from age seven to 14 and it seems fitting that I enter adulthood across the street from where I grew up. As a transfer student I was afraid I wasn’t going to have the best experience at Queens College, but I was wrong. I had a great time finishing my education at such a fine institution of higher learning. I met many amazing professors who shaped my education and the way I see the world. I had wonderful support at the school and such a good time at the History Department. I thank all the teachers who made learning an absolute pleasure. I hope students who come after me can have as good a time as I did, learning about the history of our world.”
The David Syrett Prize for top graduating senior in British or military history
Angelo Grapsas
The Martin Pine Prize for top graduating senior in Renaissance history and/or philosophy
Adina Lerner
The Satadru Sen Memorial Prize for top junior or graduate student in South Asian history
Zachary Matzelle
“I am very thankful for the opportunity to study such a rich and intricate history. The late Professor Sen's work here at Queens College stands as a testimony to our ability to learn and progress as a society. My study of Indian history has been an enlightening way to learn about humanity's struggle for equality and it has been a pleasure.”
The Alan Jay Orman Prize for top student accepted into a Ph.D. program in European history
Markus Merin
The Elmer and Flora Beberfall Scholarship for a selected graduating senior who is admitted to a law school
Gideon Pollack
“The Queens College History Department is truly second to none. I came to Queens college as a transfer student my sophomore year and was immediately swept off my feet my the incredible roster of faculty the department boasts of. More than historical facts and events, the principles and skills of being an historian are lessons that will aid in my career and last a lifetime. It's an honor to a recipient of this award and congratulations to my fellow graduates!”
The David and Sharon Katzman Prize for top junior History major
Salem Hassan
The History Department Scholarship for an impressive junior History major
Vincent Roccisano
“I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to all of the professors in the History Department for this prestigious award. I have truly enjoyed learning from you in each and every course I have taken thus far at Queens College. It is from your incredible passion and knowledge for history that I have learned so much. You have inspired me to continue to work hard and continue my dedication towards academic excellence. I aspire to someday join the department as one of your colleagues.”
The Frank Merli Graduate Student Writing Prize
Samantha Ruggirello
“Costumes, Picket Signs, and Public Drama: Material Culture and the Kolodney & Myers Strike of 1941”
“I’m grateful to the history department for choosing my paper for this award. I want to thank Dr. Grace Davie and Dr. Kara Schlichting for all of the guidance and mentorship they provided throughout the process of writing this paper. I truly couldn’t have done it without their input.”
The Benny Kraut Essay Prize
Ilanna Schuster
“Truly Exceptional?: Myths of Resistance and Rescue in Postwar Denmark and Beyond”
The Michael Wreszin Writing Prize
Scott Lipkowitz
“Water at War: The 26th Engineer (Water Supply) Regiment, the First World War, and the Evolution of United States Army Water Supply Doctrine”
“Military historian Rory McGovern observed in the preface to his 2019 monograph George W. Goethals and the Army that history is a team sport, and that he was fortunate to play for an incredible team. I could not agree more with McGovern’s sentiment. The Queens College History Department is an extraordinary team; I am honored to be a part of it. “Water at War” would not have turned out as it did without the support of the department’s faculty and staff. Dr. Kara Murphy Schlichting’s generous council allowed me to successfully navigate the unfamiliar landscapes of environmental history and Progressive Era engineering. That this paper was awarded a prize for its prose is a testament to the many hours she spent tutoring me in the complex art of writing well. Dr. Julia Sneeringer’s unwavering belief in my abilities started me on this path. Throughout the research and writing process, Dr. Sneeringer allowed me to repeatedly intrude upon her time, even though I was not her student. For that I am ever grateful. Dr. Grace Davie’s incredible patience and editorial insights helped forge my inchoate thoughts on water and military engineers into a coherent narrative. Her dedication enabled this paper to flourish. Last, but certainly not least, none of my academic achievements would have been possible without the tremendous support of my guide and mentor, Dr. Bob Wintermute. Over the last three years, I have grown immensely as an aspiring historian, thanks, in no small part, to Dr. Wintermute’s enthusiasm, faith, and consistent willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty. His persistent promotion of my talents opened up opportunities too numerous to count. And his commitment to scholarship in military history—especially when confronted with a seemingly esoteric topic like water and war—is a true inspiration.
In early February, “Water at War” was selected to participate in a young scholars panel at the Society for Military History’s 2020 Conference in Arlington, Virginia. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 outbreak intervened, forcing the Society to cancel. Though a disappointment, I plan to continue to hone and expand upon the themes explored in “Water at War” over the coming months, with an eye to presenting at the conference in 2021.”
The Arnold Franco Writing Prize
Jessica Moloughney
“The Struggle for Sanitary Reform in New York: 1832-1866”
“I greatly appreciate this honor and would like to extend my gratitude to my fellow graduate students and the faculty of the History Department for all of their support.”
History Department Student Service Prize
Joseph Jacobs
“My time spent working for the Queens College History Department gave me a glimpse into the process of historical documentation. It can be as easy as recording a name into an excel sheet or it can take ten minutes staring at one word trying to make a decision. Terms that can be in common use within one decade can be meaningless seventy years later. You may even be stumped because an office worker was in a rush or had their own recording methods. Knowing all of these facts and experiencing them are important when looking at historical documents and require both patience and a balanced judgment. But as time goes on, a person is able to recognize a pattern that once was invisible and gain an eye for what’s important.”
Phi Alpha Theta Keys
Recognition of achievement from the history honor society
Michelle Chin
Carolina Cando
Filomena Cavaioli
Michelle Chin
Aung Htwe
Joseph Jacobs
Jin Joo
Brittany Lear
Phi Alpha Theta Inductees
New members of the history honor society
Andrea Ciardullo
Loriana Donovan
Fiona Golden
Angelo Grapsas
Natalie Sexton
Loriana Donovan
The Frank Warren Prize for Excellence in History
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Departmental honors
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Talk by Benjamin Zachariah
Students in Prof. Sneeringer’s grad course on fascism (plus guests) enjoyed a talk and rousing discussion by our visitor, Dr. Benjamin Zachariah from the University of Trier, Germany
Irish Studies student project
oral history of Irish immigrants featured in the Irish Times