What is your name and hometown?

Hello! My name is Carrie Esker, and I am a born and raised Buckeye, hailing from Westerville, Ohio. 

What do you love most about history?

I love everything about studying history! Studying history enriches my life daily and makes me a more compassionate and understanding human. I am currently working on a research paper and have been having SO much fun searching through digital archives and working with primary sources. 

Why did you choose to be a history major? 

I chose to study history because it allows me to investigate all of my interests within one field. I firmly believe that studying history benefits all areas of one's life, and helps them to understand the world around them. I didn't start my college career as a history major but switching my major to history is one of the best decisions I've ever made. 

What are the favorite history courses you have taken?

This is a really hard question because I haven't taken a history course that I didn't love. A couple of my favorites are History of Ancient Israel, and Jewish American History. 

Do you have a favorite professor or professors? Who are they and why?

Once again this is a really tough question because every history professor I've had is phenomenal. I might be slightly biased but I think the department of history has the best professors in the whole University. One of my favorite history professors is Professor Robin Judd. She and I share many common interests and from day one of meeting her I knew that she valued me as a member of her class. Professor Judd goes out of her way to encourage her students and make them feel appreciated and seen. 

What’s one thing you wish every Buckeye knew about the past (and/or about the history department)?

Studying history does not just entail studying a bunch of random dates that have no relevance to your life. Studying history helps one understand what they are experiencing in the world around them, and helps one to react to current events with clarity, because chances are a similar situation occurred at some point in history.