Sarah Beaumont
Fiscal Officer
Sarah serves as the department’s Fiscal Officer. In addition to overseeing and approving the work of the Fiscal Associates, she reconciles the department’s monthly charges against the General Ledger and reviews the department’s many funds to ensure accuracy in spending and adherence to the annual budget. She works closely with the Administrative Manager on budgetary issues and serves as the point of contact for questions about faculty research budgets. She also initiates fund transfers both from within and outside of the department.
Ashley Bowerman
Graduate Studies Coordinator
Ashley manages and coordinates the Department’s graduate program, serving as the initial contact for prospective students and guiding accepted students through the program. Ashley processes program applications; coordinates the preparation and submission of fellowship materials; coordinates recruitment, including visits and events; advises students; arranges exams and MA and PhD defenses; monitors student progress and conducts audits for graduation; compiles and disseminates graduate statistics and reports; assists with departmental activities related to graduate placement in academic and alternative careers; manages job placement data and dossier service for the department’s graduate students; manages GA hiring; and assigns GAs as small-section leaders, discussion-section leaders, graders, and research associates.
In her spare time, Ashley enjoys spending time with her husband Dan, son Henry, and two cats, Sophie and Abbey, at their home in Dublin. Her hobbies include hiking, cooking, cross-stitching, reading, and yoga.
Amanda Budreau
Events Program Coordinator
Amanda is the Department’s Events Program Coordinator. She organizes and oversees regular departmental events, which includes annual lecture series, award ceremonies, & faculty/staff celebrations. She creates promotional materials for these events, courses, and other departmental publicity needs. Amanda distributes and manages the request and compilation of content for the weekly Kudos email, which shares the achievements of department members, as well as for Making History, the yearly departmental newsletter/magazine. Additional projects that she serves on as needed are being the point of contact for guests, potential guests, and the tour company on the “Friends of the Department of History WWII Tour”, completing audio transcriptions for the Goldberg Center/Origins/Picturing Black History/The Clio Society, and maintaining the hallway to Dulles 168’s framed faculty publication cover prints.
Jen Getson
Academic Program Coordinator
As the Academic Program Coordinator, Jen is responsible for Scheduling and Curriculum matters for the department. As the department scheduling contact, she prepares the department’s annual and semester teaching schedules, assigns graduate associates as GTAs, GRAs and GAAs; and produces reports and analyzes data on course offerings and enrollments, course and scheduling records, and faculty teaching and leaves. She coordinates desk copies of adopted course textbooks, assists students and instructors with grade changes and missing grades, and can answer logistical and bureaucratic questions about scheduling, teaching, and registration. She acts as a liaison with the University Registrar, particularly the Scheduling Office, and reserves rooms for classes and special events, including departmental rooms in Dulles Hall (168, 239, 250, and 264). In terms of Curriculum, she serves as the departmental liaison with the ASC Curriculum & Assessment (ASCC) office and handles course and program proposals, change requests, withdrawals, and General Education (GE) course submissions. She is the keeper of the departmental curriculum records, and regularly updates lists of GE statuses and approvals, as well as Distance Learning (DL) approvals.
Melissa (Missie) Hathaway
Fiscal Associate
Missie manages and coordinates faculty travel requests and arrangements. Missie works closely with the adminsitrative associate to book travel for faculty search candidates. She also handles requisitions and reimbursements, including travel reimbursements. Missie manages PCards for the various needs of the faculty and the department. She makes deposits at the bank when needed, and she also handles honoraria for guest speakers.
Raymond Irwin
Program Manager and Adjunct Assistant Professor
Ray helps to coordinate undergraduate initiatives and academic services, including advising, student recruitment and retention, program assessment, awards and prizes, career exploration activities (e.g., internships), data collection and analysis, and alumni outreach. Ray also serves on the Undergraduate Teaching Committee and as the advisor for the OSU chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, transfer credit coordinator, advising liaison to the regional campuses, undergraduate newsletter editor, and academic advisor for honors history undergraduates. On occasion, he also teaches the Department’s internship course, as well as U.S. history surveys and upper-division courses in Ohio history and American religious and labor history.
His most recent publication, "The Origins of the Buckeye Nickname," appears in the Fall 2022 issue of Ohio History. In November 2021, WOSU Media aired a news story, "Buckeye Nickname Origin Story Called into Question," based on the research, and included an interview with Irwin in "Stories from the 19th Century" (original air date: April 6, 2023), an episode of WOSU's Columbus Neighborhoods television series.
Steve McCann
Administrative Manager
Steve serves as the Fiscal, HR and Administrative Manager for the department. He manages all budgets and financial functions for the department and monitors the financial status of departmental funds. He works closely with the department chair and the College regarding the annual operating budget. He represents the department to other administrators and outside agencies. Steve leads HR activity, including developing position descriptions, assisting in the recruitment and selection of staff and initiating compensation and classification requests.
Alyssa Reynolds
Administrative Associate
Alyssa serves as the assistant to the department chair, supports history faculty as needed, and supervises the department’s student employees and receptionists. She works closely with department committee chairs to assist with the promotion & tenure process, faculty hires, internal and external award nominations, and annual faculty salary reviews. Alyssa acts as a liaison with ASC Advancement, is the Building Coordinator for Dulles Hall, and orders office supplies for the front office and faculty offices.
Alyssa is also the 2024 recipient of the Willie J. Young, Sr. Staff Impact Award.
Brian Rzepka
Fiscal Associate
As a Fiscal Associate, Brian handles hiring outside vendors for faculty members via independent contractor agreements. He also coordinates travel with graduate students in the department. Brian also helps faculty and staff procure computer equipment with ASC Tech, as well as removing older equipment. He also handles PCards for the various needs of the faculty and the department.
Laura Seeger
Digital Media & Learning Systems Specialist
As Digital Media and Learning Systems Specialist, Laura provides website content development for our ten websites, site building, and oversees outsourced programming work. She coordinates with college and external programming groups to resolve technology issues. Laura provides end user support for departmental technology. She is a Learning Systems (Carmen) Affiliate, providing university learning systems support for department faculty, staff, and students. Laura also manages departmental digital signage content and our social media presence, including the creation of graphics and animations.
She serves as Video Production Specialist for the Department of History, Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspective, and Picturing Black History. Laura establishes strategies, schedules, and management plans to produce departmental videos and digital content. She produces and edits videos and digital history projects and trains Origins graduate students in video production. Laura periodically develops Goldberg Center internships and supervises interns in conjunction with the Director. She also manages Goldberg Center student staff.
Kari Swygart
Academic Advisor
Kari fosters student success by implementing proactive strategies that help students stay on track to fulfill their educational goals. She advises students on university policy and procedures, program and degree requirements, and related academic matters and assists in student orientation and teaches the student survey course. Kari also updates course materials and recommends and helps implement course improvements and acquires information for students, including academic, career, financial, psychological, and other resources as needed. She assists with graduation events/activities, including commencement rehearsal and line-up.