Alumni Profiles

One of the questions that we often hear from students and parents is "what can you do with a History degree after graduation?"  At SUNY Geneseo, we've designed a curriculum that reflects important practical and intellectual skills that are integral to the discipline of History but also applicable in a variety of fields.  These include the ability to read deeply and critically, to understand the strengths and weaknesses of arguments and interpretations, to synthesize and contextualize information, to locate and make sense of different types of evidence, and to convey ideas clearly to a variety of different audiences.

Although many of our majors go on to very accomplished careers in teaching, we pride ourselves on the fact that so many Geneseo History alumni also have found success in fields that draw on these skills in different ways.  According to the US Department of Labor, Americans born since 1980 will have held on average nine different jobs before they reach their mid-30s.  In this new and dynamic economic context, disciplines such as History prepare students with practical skills that can be applied in many different fields as well as tools that help them respond creatively to new trends and developments.

To give readers a glimpse into the diverse paths that our students take after graduation from SUNY Geneseo, we asked several of our recent alumni to talk about their career choices and the impact of a Geneseo History education.  We hope that these are useful to those of you who are thinking about a major in History or are wondering what opportunities you have as a History alumnus.

• Liz Dierenfield (Class of 2014):  Domestic Violence Victim Advocate at the Family Justice Center in Buffalo
• Brian Hartle (Class of 2010):  Talent Recruiter for Achievement First in Cambridge, MA
• Laura Warren Hill (Class of 1998):  Professor of African-American and US History at Bloomfield College, NJ
• Cortez Jones:  Branch Manager at ESL Federal Credit Union
• Ryne Kitzrow (Class of 2010):  Digital Business Integration Analyst with Accenture in New York City
• Chris Machanoff (Class of 2006):  Organizing Director with SEIU Local 200
• Ed McGrogan (Class of 2005):  Editor at Tennis Magazine/Tennis.com
• Maura Ballerstein Proctor (Class of 2004):  Software Test Engineer at Paychex in Rochester
• Katie Smart (Class of 2010):  Publicist and Exhibits Coordinator at Duke University Press
• Natalie Stachowski (Class of 2003):  Intelligence Analyst at the Federal Bureau of Investigations
• Tara Wisnewski (Class of 2004):  Manager of Video Production and Special Projects with Crutchfield Corporation