Teaching
Geneseo has a long history of producing dedicated and excellent teachers, dating back to its foundation as a teacher training school in 1871. Many of our history majors enter the education field, the majority at the primary or secondary levels. Those interested in teaching in primary or secondary schools can prepare for teaching certification during their time at Geneseo and then go directly into teaching on graduation, after passing the required state examinations. Others complete a certification program after gaining their Geneseo degree or pursue a Master's degree in education, which provides further preparation and is necessary for those interested in a career in educational administration. For those interested in a career in the college-level teaching of history, entering a Ph.D. program is necessary and usually requires a further 4-8 years of study and research.
- Instructor, SUNY Polytechnic Institute. Gary Gordon Newman, '67.
- Professor of History, Radford University, VA. Sharon (Roger) Hepburn, '87.
- Instructor, Department of Global Studies, SUNY Orange. Michael Quinn, '92.
- Social Studies Teacher, Webster CSD, NY. Greg Ahlquist, '95.
- Associate Professor of History, Niagara University, NY. Stefanie Wichhart, '97.
- Associate Professor of History, Bloomfield College, NJ. Laura Warren Hill, '98.
- Associate Professor of Social Sciences, Onondaga Community College, NY. Shawn Wiemann, '01.
- Instructional Technology Specialist, Manassas Park City Schools, VA. Chris Konig, '01.
- Social Studies Teacher, Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, Queens, NY. Michael Rokofsky, ’02.
- Social Studies Teacher, Geneseo CSD, NY. Sarah Prinzi, '03.
- Social Studies Teacher, Rush-Henrietta School District, NY. Eric Prinzi, '04.
- Social Studies Teacher and Drama Director, Port Byron CSD, NY. Jeff Chaloux, '04.
- Assistant Professor of History, St Peter's University. Tim Nicholson, '04.
- Social Studies Teacher, Syracuse City School District, NY. Amanda Cesta, '05.
- Assistant Professor of History, University of Great Falls, MT. Janine Giordano Drake, '05.
- Social Studies Teacher at Holland Patent CSD. John Riemenschneider, '05.
- Assistant Professor of History, Washington University in St Louis, MO. Douglas Flowe, '07.
- Social Studies Teacher and Department Coordinator, Bay Trail Middle School, Penfield, NY. Kevin Leisten, '07.
- Special Education Teacher, Long Island, NY. Kerrianne (Lynch) Albarella, '08.
- Social Studies Teacher, Port Byron High School, NY. Kimberly (Kiniry) Kanuck, '09.
- Social Studies Teacher, Central Park East High School, NY. Laura Smykla, '09.
- Social Studies Teacher, Rush-Henrietta Senior High School, NY. Amanda Myers, '10.
- Social Studies Teacher and Department Chair, KIPP Delta Collegiate High School, Helena, AR. David O'Donnell, '12.
- Reading Specialist, Williamsville CSD, NY. Lauren Michelle, '13.
- Social Studies Teacher; Varsity, Track, and Basketball Coach, Holland CSD, NY. Nicholas Anthony, '13.
- Social Studies Teacher, Waukesha High School, WI. Kyle Hoyng, '14.
In January of my sophomore year, my father suffered a catastrophic stroke and had to enter an assisted care facility for the remainder of his life. His illness had a huge impact on the financial situation of my family since my mother worked only part-time. I wasn’t sure I would be financially able to continue my studies at Geneseo and I was going home frequently to help my mother apply for financial assistance for my father’s care. It was the Geneseo faculty and staff who helped me to pull through and complete my degree.
—Flossie Stephens. Admissions Counselor, Class of 2005.
Non-Profit Administration
There are over a million nonprofit (voluntary, community-based, functional, or charitable) institutions in the United States alone. Nonprofit organizations allow history graduates to build a career while advocating for social change. Jobs in these organizations require skills in communications, analysis, and policy research—all areas in which Geneseo history grads are strong.
- Executive Director, Blue Green Alliance, Washington D.C. Kim Glas, '98.
- Quality Assurance Associate, Rochester-area non-profit. Janet Wells Elwood, '03.
- Associate Director, Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts. Sarah Buzanowski, '04.
- Sponsorship Assistant, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, NY. Justin Cleveland, '09.
- Manager of New Business Development, Population Services International. Katie Deierlein, '10.
- Program Manager, GNA Clean Transportation and Energy Consultants, Los Angeles, CA. Michael Terreri, '11.
- Database Administration Manager, amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, NY. Lauren Whitehead, '12.
- Director of Membership, Foreign Policy Association, New York, NY. Adam Camiolo, '14.
- Community Planning Fellow, Fund for the City of New York. Connor Green, ’15.
- Clean Hub Energy Director, Climate Solutions Accelerator of the Genesee-Finger Lakes Region. Jenna Lawson, '18.
My focus at Geneseo was structural inequality in African American history. Past practices have a direct correlation to the conditions we face around us today. If I didn't have that historical background from Geneseo I wouldn't be good at my job.
—Clean Hub Energy Director, Climate Solutions Accelerator of the Genesee-Finger Lakes Region. Jenna Lawson, Class of 2018.
Museums, Archives, Libraries, & Public History
If you find that you love working with historical documents and artifacts and communicating that love of them to others, but don't see yourself as a classroom teacher, consider a career as an archivist, librarian, or public historian. Many of our graduates have pursued these careers.
- Director of the Office of the Historian of the U.S. Department of State. Adam Howard, ‘95.
- Librarian, Buffalo and Erie County Public Library. Rhonda Konig, '95.
- Deputy Director, Greenwich Library, CT. Joseph Williams, '96.
- Academic Librarian (Reference and Instruction), Boricua College, NY. Evan Frankl, '96.
- Assistant Historian, United States Senate. Daniel Holt, '99.
- Business and Economics Librarian, Cornell University. Tom Ottaviano, '02.
- Librarian, US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Michael Hayes, '04.
- School Library Media Specialist, Perry Middle School, NY. Sara Grace Friday, '05.
- Senior Program Officer, Pennsylvania Academic Library Consortium. Jill Robinson Morris, '05.
- Historian and Project Director, Rockefeller Archive Center, NY. Laura Miller, '05.
- President and CEO, Virginia Historical Society, VA. Jamie Bosket, '05.
- Education Coordinator, Albany Institute of History & Art. Patrick Stenshorn, '08.
- Public Programs Coordinator for The Mount: Edith Wharton's Home, Lenox, MA. Abigail Wilson, '09.
My degree in history was an incredible experience, balancing the study of historical events with the rigorous development of analytical and writing skills. My professors challenged me to engage with the field -- reflecting on events while dissecting primary sources and historiography -- to experience a much deeper understanding of scholarly analysis and communication. I believe this experience provided me with a solid foundation to apply to an emerging field: digital librarianship. Upon graduation, I knew I wanted to remain close to the primary source materials that inspired my study and found a home in library and archival science. Combining this with my passion for technology, I found a career in academic libraries, providing online access and preservation to a variety of scholarly materials. Though my work is highly technical (I also studied mathematics while at Geneseo), it is my ability to write clearly and effectively, analyze problems, seek creative solutions, and bring an understanding of the humanities and social sciences to the table that makes me an effective digital librarian and department head.
—Joanna DiPasquale, Head of Digital Scholarship and Technology Services, Vassar College Libraries. Class of 1998.
Law and Government
Many of our graduates go into the field of law and the related arena of government. Completion of a J.D. degree (after three years of law school) and passing the bar exam is required for the practice of law. History majors who are interested in pursuing a career in law are encouraged to talk with Geneseo's pre-law advisor about law school and the field in general.
- Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney, Dennis Hernandez and Associates, Tampa FL. Luis G. Figueroa, '76.
- Civil Litigator and Special Counsel, Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel, New York City. Samantha V. Ettari, '00.
- Senior Budget Examiner, NYS Division of the Budget. Eric Jacobsen, '03.
- Associate, Latham & Watkins LLP, New York City. Justin Levy, '05.
- Senior Attorney Editor, Thomson Reuters. Vicki Beighley, '05.
- Deputy Attorney General, State of New Jersey Office of the Attorney General. Joe Remy, '05.
- Appellate Court Attorney, New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, 4th Department. Bo Shoemaker, '06.
- Senior Policy Advisor and Counsel to the House Majority Leader, U.S. House of Representatives. Matt Kellogg, '07.
- Attorney, Goldberg Segalla LLP, NY. Clayton Waterman, '08.
- Enforcement Attorney, Federal Election Commission, Washington D.C. Shanna Reulbach, '10.
- First Assistant Clerk of the House for the Vermont House of Representatives. Melissa (Gradel) Kucserik, '10.
- Litigation Associate, Harter Secrest & Emery LLP, Rochester NY. Samantha Maurer, '12.
- Trademark Examining Attorney at the US Patent and Trademark Office, Washington D.C. Caile Morris, '12.
- Associate, Colligan Law LLP. Christina Kennedy, '14.
Education Administration & Student Affairs
Many of our graduates support a new generation of learners outside the classroom. They've pursued careers as school counselors, student and parent liaisons, or recruiters.
- Director, Instructional Coaching Services at Genesee Valley Educational Partnership. Jim Thompson, '71.
- Parent Coordinator, NYC Department of Education. Jean (Lovale) Mendler, '73.
- School Counselor, NYC Department of Education. Malinda Diaz-Proeve, '95.
- Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications, Nardin Academy, NY. Alexandra Tramposch, '09.
- Associate Director of Talent, New York City Department of Education. Brian Hartle, '10.
- CARE Team Coordinator & Student Health Liaison, Berklee College of Music. Dayshawn Simmons, '12.
- Assistant Residence Director, Syracuse University. Robert Terreri, '14.
Business
A number of our majors have gone on to careers in business, attaining leadership roles in established companies or becoming entrepreneurs and starting their own firms. A history major's training in research and data assessment means that many of our graduates are ideally suited for jobs as business or financial analysts.
- Business Analyst, Eastman Kodak Company, NY. Christine Crowther Stockton, '71.
- Vendor Risk Manager, New York Community Bancorp Inc. Jonathan Chandler, '83.
- Account Manager, WENDEL Companies, NY. Adam Tabelski, '01.
- Regional Director of Pharmacy Sales, Onco360, NY. Suzanne Herrmann, '03.
- Business Consultant, Propeller Consulting, Portland, OR. Jen Bruno, '05.
- Financial Analyst, Upstate Cerebral Palsy, NY. Jared DePass, '06.
- Digital Business Integration Consultant, Accenture Digital Analytics. Ryne Kitzrow, '10.
- Associate Director of Strategy and Integration, Zenith, NYC. Jordan Winkler, '11.
- Vice President of Portfolio Management and Senior Analyst, Simon School Venture Capital Fund. Chris DiGiacomandrea, '12.
- Index Analyst, Bloomberg Barclays Benchmark Indices, NY. Nora McGlynn, '12.
- Assistant Operations Manager, Harold Levinson Associates. Alec Tare, '14.
Working as a Business Development Manager is something I'm able to succeed in thanks to the well-rounded History department education. In my junior year, I decided to run for the Village Board of Geneseo and was successful in my campaign. I ended up being the second African American elected as a public official here in Livingston County. About two years ago I was appointed deputy mayor. History here at Geneseo is a life-changing major.
—Matthew Cook. Business Development Manager and Deputy Mayor of Geneseo, Class of 2017.
Engineering, Media, Public Relations, and More
Geneseo history majors have entered a diverse range of fields, knowing that the skills and interests which served them well in their time in Sturges Hall will also set them up for a satisfying and successful career.
- Database and Systems Engineer, Optanix Inc., Syracuse, NY. Jason Fingerman, '95.
- Technology Project Manager, Ganze Technology. Peter Ganze, '96.
- President and CEO, Pandion Optimization Alliance. Travis Heider, '98.
- Ice Hockey Coach, Niagara University. Jason Lammers, '98.
- Principal, ARIA Strategies LLC. Aria Camaione-Lind, '01.
- Chief Partnership Officer, Branching Minds. Yonatan Doron, '04.
- Medical Billing Operations Manager, Medical Resources Management Inc, Syracuse, NY. Amanda Corney, '04.
- Software Test Engineer, Paychex Inc., NY. Maura (Ballerstein) Proctor, '04.
- Senior Editor, Tennis Magazine. Ed McGrogan, '05.
- Team Leader of Radiology, Crouse Hospital, NY. Chris Connelly, '05.
- Online Coordinator and Museum Software Specialist, PastPerfect Software, PA. Melissa Sheinman, '09.
- Pediatrics Resident. Katherine Schwartz, '09.
- Publicist and Exhibits Coordinator, Journals Marketing at Duke University Press. Katie Smart, '10.
- Critical Care Nurse, John T. Mather Memorial Hospital, NY. Catherine (D'Arcangelis) Bertuch, '11.
- Copy Chief, BuzzFeed. Megan Paolone, '12.
- Senior Community Engagement Coordinator, WNET New York Public Media. Kala DeStefano, '13.
- Park Guide, National Parks Service, Anthony Mazzucco '17
Studying history at Geneseo taught me how to read, write, and think. I left the department with a deep understanding of my world, its wide and varied perspectives, and how and why it works the way it does. As an editor working at a constantly moving (and changing) news and entertainment outlet, I absorb and distill the complexities of our news cycle through the lens of everything I learned at Geneseo. I'm able to give insightful feedback and edits because of the constructive criticism I received from my professors, and I was light-years ahead in my reporting and research abilities in my journalism master's program because of the foundation Geneseo helped me fortify. My four years in classes across the department were nuanced, inclusive, and enlightening, teaching me not only fascinating histories but also helping me develop the critical thinking and analytical research skills that I use every day both in and out of work and which are transferable to so many fields. I mean, look where I ended up!
—Megan Paolone, Copy Chief, BuzzFeed. Class of 2012.