Meet Our Graduates

The campus Career Center has a wealth of information about careers for history and arts and sciences majors. But while you’re here, check out what some of our wonderful graduates have to say!

Sarah Ahmed, Class of 2018
I graduated from Texas A&M University in 2018 as a political science major, and in the course of my studies, I quickly realized that politics seldom exists in a vacuum. Understanding the past is integral to moving towards a more successful and optimistic future. This understanding spurred me to pursue a minor in history, and I immensely enjoyed the depth and context my history courses provided. The wide array of course options meant that I had the opportunity to learn and expand my understanding of a wide array of countries and cultures. As a current law student, I am especially grateful for the history courses and the essential skills they helped me gain. My history classes pushed me to hone my research and critical reading skills. Additionally, I had the opportunity to refine my writing skills and I gained confidence to articulate and argue my point of view through stimulating classroom discussions and collaborative group work. As a third-year law student interested in pursuing public interest work and fighting the systemic injustices perpetuated against people, I am grateful for the course material discussed in my classes as it helped me to contextualize not only my classroom knowledge, but also my lived experiences.

Ashton Andrews, Class of 2018
My history degree at Texas A&M University and particularly the research project I conducted in my senior year has been incredibly influential in success as a law student at Vanderbilt University Law School. The analytical and logical reasoning skills I gained while at A&M helped me first secure acceptance into law school. I also mastered how to conduct quality, in depth research and how to write a persuasive, well-reasoned paper, which has served me incredibly well in law school. My research into the subjugation of Black women through federally funded coercive sterilization campaigns inspired me to become the best advocate I can be and strive to bring light to injustices that have been historically silenced. Questioning the outcomes others have decided are truths is integral to success in law school and will continue to be in my career as a lawyer.

Caroline Elvig, Class of 2018
Obtaining a History degree from Texas A&M is one of the best choices I made for my professional goals and career. The tangible skills I learned, namely, strong research and writing capabilities, continue to help me as I pursue a legal career. I was accepted into the University of Virginia School of Law with the support of one of my history professors, who worked with me while I crafted my personal statement. Thinking analytically and writing persuasively are things I was already used to doing before law school. The foundation that the History Department laid makes me a more effective law student and future lawyer. I was also exposed to lawyers throughout history who were involved in movements to make the United States a more equitable and accepting society. Their stories continue to inspire me. My goal of being a litigator is within reach thanks to the education I received while studying History at Texas A&M University.

Claye Epperson, Class of 2018
My undergraduate career focused on understanding legal histories. Through courses about colonization, border relations, race and gender, and protest and violence along with my undergraduate research thesis about sex-based discrimination I came to understand the lived and legal experiences of many Americans. History taught me to think about ‘why’ and ‘how’ and ‘to whom.’

Quickly approaching graduation from The George Washington University Law School I find myself immeasurably grateful for my history degree. In first year classes I felt more prepared than my peers because I comprehend the context of cases and already knew how to write and reason. Now I value the responsibility placed on lawyers to understand ‘why’ and ‘how’ and ‘to whom’ to propose and enact solutions. Without my history degree, I do not think I could fully appreciate law or its application and I could not harness law’s redemptive power.

After graduation I will clerk for the Honorable Craig Gargotta (History BA ’81 and MA ’84) of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Texas in San Antonio.

C.J. Godkin, Class of 2019
As an undergraduate student at Texas A&M University, I completed a Minor in History. This complemented my primary coursework by providing historical context to the political science concepts I was studying. Additionally, the strong research and writing skills emphasized in the history department only worked to improve my work across my classes. This historical background was particularly useful during my transition to a graduate program. Currently, I am a Master of International Affairs degree candidate at the George H. W. Bush School of Government and Public Service. In studying diplomacy and American foreign policy, I have found my historical background to be incredibly useful. From conducting original archival research to managing significant reading loads, many of the skills I developed in my undergraduate history courses have proven to be invaluable in succeeding in graduate school.

Juan Fernando Luna, Class of 2017
My history degree made me an effective organizer and paved my path to Yale Law School. At Texas A&M, I learned about the ways legislators have used the law and economy to increase corporate power at the expense of vulnerable communities. After graduation, I applied the lessons I learned in class to organize undocumented construction workers in Austin and Houston. I persuaded workers about the importance of organizing by connecting their wage theft experiences with the legislator’s historical use of immigration laws to erode employment protections. This enabled me to launch worker-led campaigns that recovered thousands in stolen wages and won employment protections for immigrant workers. By helping me succeed as an organizer, my history degree allowed me to craft a unique personal and professional story that made me a competitive law school applicant. In this sense, my journey to Yale started in the Glasscock Building.

Kevin Malcolm, Class of 2013
My time in the Texas A&M History Department was the base upon which I built my career in historical interpretation. The incredibly talented professors and advisors I encountered gave me a firm foundation of research ability and an unmatched skill to turn in-depth research into digestible information for a public audience. Historical interpretation is the art of taking dense, and sometimes tedious, primary source information and turning it into something that can be easily understood by a lay audience of history enthusiasts. Not everyone can or wants to understand the minute intricacies of historical scholarship by which we in the academic community communicate among ourselves. My professors at Texas A&M taught me how to take my academic research and turn it towards public education and interpretation. I am particularly thankful to Drs. Adam Seipp, Jason Parker, Carlos Blanton, and Brian Linn for their incredible professorships during my undergraduate studies.

Sarah Porter, Class of 2018
My experience as an undergraduate in the Department of History was incredibly rewarding and influenced my decision to pursue graduate study. The rigorous coursework and various research opportunities, such as the Undergraduate Research Scholars program, enabled me to formulate historical questions, conduct archival research, and improve my writing. All of these skills have been immensely valuable as a Ph.D. student at the University of Texas. Perhaps most importantly, however, my time at Texas A&M was shaped by the department’s supportive faculty. My professors were knowledgeable, engaging, and generous with their time. Their encouragement and mentorship have made a tremendous impact on my personal and professional goals.

Harrison Richter, Class of 2019
The Texas A&M History Department has prepared me for a world that stands to benefit from knowledge of the past and an understanding of its contemporary implications. As someone who hopes to practice law for the sake of improving lives, I believe in the value of history as a resource for change. This belief led me to pursue a summer internship in the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018, where I learned about the appeals procedure and certiorari-stage mechanics. Most importantly, I witnessed the sanctity with which petitioners regarded the idea of equal justice under law. Following my graduation at Texas A&M, I decided to work full-time as a Marshal’s Aide in the Supreme Court, hoping to continue my experiential education on the importance of the judicial process in America. Simultaneously, I have been working for an expert witness on railroad cases, providing analyses on depositions to impending litigation. I will enroll in law school in 2021, where I intend to capitalize on my experiences and qualify myself to fight for those who need a voice in our legal system.

Katherine Weiss, Class of 2017
I earned my Bachelor’s in History in 2017. Throughout my time at Texas A&M I developed skills in critical reading and writing and learned how to think critically, evaluate sources, and formulate arguments. This analytical mindset is useful in many careers and has enabled me to succeed in a variety of positions. I am grateful for my time in the History Department and the faculty who gave me the knowledge and confidence to succeed. Since graduating, I went on to teach English in France through TAPIF for one year. I then earned my MA in French Studies at NYU in 2019 and completed two archival internships at the Château de Rosa Bonheur in France through the French Heritage Society. I am now pursuing my Ph.D. in Modern European History at the Ohio State University with a focus on the social and cultural history of France during World War I.