Carrie Esker is a history major with minors in Jewish Studies and dance. She is from Westerville, Ohio.
What do you love most about history?
I love everything about studying history! Studying history enriches my life daily & makes me a more compassionate and understanding human. I am currently working on a research paper & have been having SO much fun searching through digital archives & 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 & 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 & Jewish American History.
Do you have a favorite professor or professors? Who are they & 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 & I share many common interests & 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 & make them feel appreciated & 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 & helps one to react to current events with clarity, because chances are a similar situation occurred at some point in history.