Masters Alumni 2010-2019
The Department of History at Western Michigan University honors its alumni. If you are listed on an alumni page, please contact us with career updates.
2019
Ian Anderson
Anderson is a representative with SEIU Healthcare Michigan and responsible for facilities up and down West Michigan.
Sydne Johnson Danh
J. Mark Joslin
Joslin is enrolled in the Ph.D. program at university of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Dillon Knackstedt
Knackstedt is in the Ph.D. program in History at Saint Louis University (SLU).
Christopher Maiytt
Maiytt is an instructor at Glen Oaks Community College teaching Modern Western Civilization History. Outside of the classroom he teaches ESL to students in China and works at the public library. His most recent research is on thematic isolation and Asian stereotypes in Disney film history, which will be included in a soon-to-be published film history monograph.
Heidi Mathews
Mae Risk
Risk owns Mae Risk Crafts, a costuming and alterations business in Kalamazoo, Michigan that focuses upon theatrical and historical costuming.
Austin Setter
Setter is a tenure track professor in the Education and History Departments at Missouri Valley College.
2018
Ruth Aardsma-Benton
Aardsma-Benton is a PhD candidate at Western Michigan University.
Jacob Judd
Judd is enrolled in the M.A. in education program at the University of Michigan. It is a one year intensive program that will result in teaching certification. The goal for him is to be certified in a year and start teaching high school social studies, and especially history, somewhere in the state of Michigan by September 2019.
Adam "A.T." Lambert
Lambert is a Residential Life Coordinator at Lycoming College in Williamsport, PA.
Joshua Schneider
Benjamin Toth
Brody Van Roekel
Van Roekel currently lives in Lincoln, NE where he works as the executive director for the community non-profit Atlas, a mentoring and peer-support organization serving the urban core of the city. He is also currently pursuing his M.Div. through Fuller Theological Seminary, while working to become a chaplain with the NE Army National Guard.
2017
Derek Benson
Benson is teaching in Boca Raton, FL.
Jenifer Blouin Policelli
Blouin Policelli is Director at the Sturgis Historical Museum. She was a docent and after a few months, the board approached her about creating the Director position. She essentially got to write her own job description.
Patrick Hargis
Hargis is Director & Curator at the Fort Douglas Military Museum at Fort Douglas, Utah.
Lucy Kent-Bracken
Kent-Bracken is Center Director of the Sylvan Learning Center in Portage, MI and directs operations at the Sylvan of Battle Creek as well.
Thomas Maurer
Maurer is enrolled in the Ph.D. program at University of Tennessee Knoxville.
2016
Chelsea Stevens Cupp
Rachel Hekman
Hekman is a high school history teacher at Washington Christian Academy in Olney, Maryland.
Joseph Helzer
Helzer is a teacher for a blended model high school in Colorado.
Spencer Hunt
A. Jeremy Killion
Michael Kuethe
Kuethe is the Education Coordinator at the Baltimore Museum of Industry in Glen Burnie, Maryland.
Alexander Milnikel
Milnikel is a Clinical Administrator and Call Center Representative at Advanced Skin and MOHS Surgery Clinics in St. Joseph, MI.
Benjamin Page
is the Collections & Library Manager at the Air Zoo Aerospace & Science Museum in Kalamazoo, MI.
Lindsey Schmidt
Schmidt is in Information Technology at Howard Miller Public Library in Zeeland, MI
J. Savannah Shipman
Shipman is a history teacher in Boca Raton, FL.
2015
Eric Denby
Denby is enrolled in the Ph.D. program in Modern U.S. history at the University of Illinois—Urbana/Champaign.
Adam Horos
Horos is a teacher at E. Grand Rapids High School.
Emilee Johnson
(From the 2017 History Newsletter) Since completing my Master’s degree in history at Western Michigan University in 2015, I've had the privilege to teach Western Civilization and U.S. History classes at Glen Oaks Community College at the school's main campus in Centreville, Michigan, as well as at area high schools for students in a dual-enrollment program or Early Middle College program. I've especially enjoyed the high school students, who are especially enthusiastic learners and have proven to be very dedicated students. I've learned a lot from the experience thus far. In particular, I've found that it is very important for students to understand the practicality of history as well as the value of critical thinking skills they can develop through studying history. It's also been fun to incorporate popular culture--mostly music and film--into my classes. It seems to keep students more interested and make history a bit more fun. Beginning this Spring 2018 semester, I am very excited to be teaching at Southwestern Michigan College in Dowagiac and Niles, Michigan. I attended SMC as a high school student and earned my Associate of Arts degree there, never dreaming I would one day return as an instructor. I'll be teaching history courses and humanities courses, and am already looking forward to beginning the new semester. I am very grateful for the training, lessons, and advice I've received from professors and fellow graduate students at WMU, which have proven invaluable as I lead a classroom myself and as I continue to develop my teaching style and techniques.
Michael Sanders
Sanders is enrolled in the Ph.D. program at Fordham University.
2014
Hilary Anderson
Anderson is the grants management coordinator for the Portage Health Foundation in Hancock, Michigan.
Troy Bytwork
Bytwork is teaching social studies at Manistee Middle/High School in Manistee, Michigan.
Eric Callender
Callender is teaching Latin and Medieval and Renaissance literature at Evangel Classical Christian School in Alabaster, Alabama.
Justin DeHondt
Adam Fernandez
Eric Freye
Iris Petty
Iris teaches history at Western Nevada College in Carson City, Nevada and Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, Nevada.
Rachel Syens
Syens is the Group Travel Manager for Tulip Time Festival, Holland, MI.
Eric Ware
Ware is enrolled in the Ph.D. program in history at Indiana University Bloomington.
2013
John Beck
Beck is a social studies and history teacher at Heritage Christian Academy in Kalamazoo.
Claire Herhold
Herhold is a Coordinator at the Michigan Historical Society in Lansing.
Jonathan Kirkwood
Kirkwood is studying for the MLIS at Wayne State University (2021) and is the Archivist at the Sloan Museum of Discovery in Burton, MI.
Adam Matthews
Matthews is enrolled in the Ph.D. program at Columbia University.
Dianna Sachs
Sachs is the Health and Human Services Librarian and Associate Professor of University Libraries at WMU.
Jessica Vest
2012
Sarah Bijani
Bijani is enrolled in the Ph.D. program at Michigan State University.
Skylar Bre'z
Bre'z completed her dissertation in history titled, "The Coalitions of National Women's History Month: Practicalities and Consequences" at Western Michigan University in 2021.
Amber Innis
Samantha Lewis
Lewis is a visitor assistant at the Office of the Architect of the Capitol in Washington, DC.
William McQuitty
McQuitty is an institutional research analyst at Western Michigan University.
J. Patrick Jouppi
Patrick went on to receive an MLIS from Wayne State University and is now a Librarian at Kalamazoo Public Library specializing in the development of KPL’s collections of eBooks, eAudiobooks, movies, and music. He is also a longtime member of the Kalamazoo County Public Art Commission.
Audrey Thompson
2011
Francis Bonenfant
Thesis: A "Human" diplomacy : the American Friends Service Committee in Israel, 1950-1961. Bonenfant is enrolled in the Peace Studies Graduate Program at University of Notre Dame.
Bill Braaksma
Lindsey A. Cox
Lindsey's MA thesis was titled: Marriage and marital relations in the episcopal registers of fourteenth-century Barcelona. She was a PhD. student studying Medieval Europe at Tulane University, New Orleans.She was co-director of the Des Moines County Historical Society in Burlington, Iowa. Lindsey passed away unexpectedly on October 27, 2018.
Rachel Friedensen
Friedensen received her PhD in educational policy and leadership from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and is currently a postdoctoral research associate at Iowa State University.
Rex J. Hafer
Sierra M. Hammond
Jesse J. Hysell
Hysell received his PhD in History from Syracuse University in 2017 and is currently a visiting assistant professor at the University of Puget Sound.
Rachel Juen
Juen is an academic specialist, SSS/TRiO at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and historic interpreter at Minnesota Historical Society.
Tyler Miller
Miller teaches at Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Caitlin B. Murphy
Murphy teaches History at Kellogg Community College in Battle Creek.
Samantha Steele
Steele is the Historian at Dow Gardens Arboretum in Midland, MI.
Ryan Storr
William D. Watson
Thesis: "A Position of Strength: Arms Dealing as Diplomacy Under the Reagan Administration" He is currently an Adjunct Instructor at Jackson Community College
2010
Lisa A. Anderson
Earned a MLIS from Wayne State University in 2013 and has been working at Muskegon Community College since 2013. Became a faculty librarian and college archivist in 2018 and Library Coordinator in 2023.
Kristi J. Dunn
Dunn is the registrar at The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana and also serves on the advisory board for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Indiana University South Bend. She specializes in the care of historic clothing and textiles, as well as the history of funerary ceremonies and body care.
Peter A. Larr
Larr teaches government, economics, and world history at Sturgis High School in Sturgis, MI.
Kevin N. Lentz
Lentz earned his M.A. in public history. He moved to Binghamton, New York and is the director of the Tioga County (NY) Historical Society.
Ryan Walters
Ryan teaches for St. Joseph High School.
M.A. History, WMU, 2010
B.S. Education, GVSU, 2000
Major: History
Minors: Psychology/Physical Education