At Fort Hays State University, our resolve to outlast and achieve is as firm and steady as our century-old limestone buildings. A great example of this resolve is our history department. Our history program is innovative, student-centered, and growing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
History students delve into the depths of time, grappling with the complexities of the human experience while surrounded by faculty who are always willing to go the extra mile to see students learn, grow, and succeed. With an unwavering dedication to research, critical analysis, and interdisciplinary approaches, our history faculty cultivate a vibrant academic experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I know this because I am a collector of student stories. I am often amazed at how frequently I hear from students about how their history classes have positively impacted their lives. At the center of all of these stories are the faculty \u2013 their support, encouragement, innovation, and especially how faculty challenge students to work hard and dig deeper. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of those professors is Hollie Marquess. Hollie, a first-generation college student, grew up in Plainville, Kansas. As a kid, she loved to talk about history with her dad. He taught her to question everything, which turned out to be a very beneficial skill for a future historian. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After high school, she enrolled at FHSU, but not initially as a history major. She was hooked by a lecture on the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory<\/a> fire in her \u201cUS History Since 1877\u201d class. Hollie changed her major to history and completed both a bachelor’s and master\u2019s degree. After she completed her master\u2019s degree, she started teaching online and returned to teach on campus in 2016. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRarick and the history program feel like home to me. In one capacity or another, I have been in Rarick for over 20 years,\u201d Hollie shared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hollie is also the host of the Victor E. History podcast. The podcast series features about eight episodes per semester. On the podcast, she talks with students about their original research. Students need to have written an excellent research paper to be considered for the podcast, and this experience helps them to think about research in a way that is publicly accessible outside of academia. This is an essential skill for them to learn. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The topics are all fascinating, and the students do a great job. There are also episodes featuring notable alums. For example, this season, season four, Chris Dinkel, the 2023 recipient of the Young Alumni Award, is featured. Chris discusses his experience in our history program, studying for the LSAT, Columbia law, and his case that recently went to the Supreme Court. Season four will also include episodes on women in aviation, childless women in the 19th<\/sup> century, famine and disease in Ireland, and more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Anyone can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music or go to https:\/\/victorehistory.com\/<\/a> to subscribe and to get notifications when new episodes are available. Season four features attacks planned on women in aviation, childless women in the 19th<\/sup> century, famine and disease in Ireland, and more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Victor E.\u00a0History podcast\u00a0began as a conversation\u00a0between Professor Marquess and FHSU\u00a0students in\u00a0the\u00a0History Club\/Phi Alpha Theta.\u00a0They\u00a0talked\u00a0about how\u00a0she uses\u00a0podcasts in the classroom,\u00a0and this\u00a0sparked her\u00a0idea to\u00a0create\u00a0her\u00a0own. After some searching,\u00a0Hollie\u00a0learned\u00a0that history departments don\u2019t tend to\u00a0host\u00a0podcasts; if they do,\u00a0the content typically focuses on\u00a0professors talking about their historical interests.\u00a0The student-centered Hollie had a different vision.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI wanted Victor E. History to highlight student research and our alumni doing incredible work,\u201d Hollie said. \u201cOne of the things that my department does best is that we are very involved with our students both online and on-campus. The popular perception of historians is that we are dusty curmudgeons who are only interested in our research. That couldn\u2019t be further from the truth in our department.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hollie shared that she and her faculty colleagues love getting to know the students and helping them reach their goals. She is proud of the fact that everyone in the department mentors the students throughout their time at FHSU and that mentorship doesn\u2019t stop at graduation. They stay in contact with recent alumni and continue to mentor them as they begin new careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n FHSU history faculty are also engaged in the larger community. They believe it is essential to expand public knowledge about historical topics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOne of my proudest moments at FHSU, aside from pride in my students\u2019 work, was bringing Holocaust survivor Gene Klein to campus in 2017. Now, we have Holocaust Remembrance and Education programming every April on campus and in the Hays community,\u201d Hollie said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Last spring, Hollie joined her colleague Dr. Amber Nickell on a faculty-led study abroad trip to Poland. While in Poland, the students learned about Jewish life before, during, and after the Holocaust. Hollie believes that it was an incredible experience for all of them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>\u201cWatching our students explore places they\u2019ve only ever read about and sharing profound learning experiences with them is worth all the work that goes into a study abroad class,\u201d Hollie said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This dynamic duo is making plans now to lead study-abroad classes in France, Germany, and Denmark over the next few years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>Hollie and Amber are currently working with senior history major Sarah Keiss on an exciting project. <\/p>\n\n\n\n