Dale Pappas '14
Majors:
History, Italian Studies
Minor:
International Relations
Outcome Opportunity:
Graduate/Professional School
Grad Degree:
Ph.D in Modern European History
School:
University of Miami
Briefly describe your program.
"I am currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Modern European History at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. My dissertation topic explores tourism industries and empire in the Mediterranean during the 1930s. I conduct archival research in Italy, Cyprus, Greece, and the United Kingdom. In addition to my research, I have been a teaching assistant for the past three years. My teaching assistant duties range from holding office hours to assist students, assessing student outcomes through research papers and exams, to preparing and delivering guest lectures."
How did you first learn about this program?
"My undergraduate advisors and other faculty members in the Italian Program and the departments of history, political science, and economics were instrumental in connecting me with the opportunity to pursue graduate study. They were always there to answer questions about applications and how I should evaluate potential opportunities."
How did your SJU education impact your professional goals?
"I came to SJU with a passion for both the study of history and travel, but I could not imagine my career path without my time on Hawk Hill. Specifically, I discovered my love for Italian language and culture through the Italian Program. My time studying Italian at SJU shaped the area of history that I study. The connection between my SJU experience and my current studies is even more direct because of the research I did for a departmental honors thesis. Writing a departmental honors thesis with advisors from both of my majors was an excellent introduction to what I do now in graduate school. The research from the honors thesis also forms part of my dissertation project."
Did you participate in any experiential learning activities while at SJU?
"I studied abroad during the spring semester of both my sophomore and junior years at SJU. I first studied abroad in Leuven, Belgium, where I had an internship at the European Parliament through the Brussels Internship Program. The next year I spent a semester in Rome, Italy through the Temple University Rome program. While I always missed Hawk Hill, those semesters studying abroad gave me the confidence to work abroad as my current position requires."