History - Careers

Studying history prepares you for a wealth of careers and post-graduate study including museum curating, information management, ministry, education and many more.

Recent Thiel graduates with degrees in history have gone into business, graduate school, law school, and work at the Holocaust Museum and public school teaching. A history major who desires to teach can also obtain elementary or secondary school certification through additional required coursework in the Education department.

Featured Alumni Outcomes

Abagale Steidl ’10

Associate Attorney at Steidl and Steinberg, P.C.
Juris Doctor from Duquesne University School of Law in 2014
Focus in consumer bankruptcy, debtor rights and litigation
Active in local bar association

Kevin Woods ’10

Social studies teacher at Fishburne Military School in Waynesboro, Va.
Head coach cross country, assistant coach basketball, and distance coach for track

Ashley Crothers ’09

Sales representative at Covidien, formerly US Surgical
Using her passion for teaching and learning to educate medical professionals on her company’s cutting edge technology
“It is incredibly rewarding and I absolutely feel blessed to be able to do it.”

Rev. David Bowman ’08

Pastor of Journey in Faith Lutheran Ministries, Somerset County, Pa.
After enrolling in Master of Divinity program at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg he gave thanks for how instrumental Thiel’s history department was in enlivening and shaping his worldview

Amanda (Rooney) Stierli ’07

Program coordinator for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Civic and Defense Initiatives in the National Institute for Holocaust Education
Conducts historical research to support program development
Earned master’s degrees in in history and in Russian and East European studies from Florida State University in 2010

Kayla (Cashner) Shook ’07

Sixth-grade Ancient History teacher at Wicomico Middle School for Wicomico County Schools
Completed master's degree in February 2013 in Ancient and Classical History from American Military University

Alumni Outcomes

David Waugaman ’15

Pursuing a Masters of Arts in History at Wichita State University
Serves a Teaching Assistant in the History Department

Amanda Baur ’14

Admissions Counselor for Thiel College
Using her experience and education from Thiel to recruit incoming freshman
Volunteer Assistant Women’s Lacrosse Coach for Thiel College

Elaine Kelley ’14

Pursuing a Masters of Arts in American History at Youngstown State University
Graduate assistant for the history department, working on archival research

Kenneth Burns ’13

Pursuing a Masters of Arts in Counseling (Student Affairs) at Youngstown State University
Serves a Graduate Assistant at Youngstown State University, with his placement at Thiel College in Residence Life and as a Resident Director

Aaron P. Duafala ’13

Pursuing a Masters Arts in Social Science at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
In October 2015, presented at the 37th Annual Labor History Conference

Joey Hertzog ’13

Pursuing his Masters of Divinity at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pa.
Completed summer internship with the pastoral care department at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital
Chaplain intern at The Church of St. Luke and the Epiphany

Evan Ditty ’12

Coordinator of Greek Life and Student Leadership Programs at Murray State University in Murray, Ky.
Serves as campus advisor for over 20 social fraternities and sororities (whose membership is 10-12% of students), 3 governing councils, and leadership programming on a campus of 11,000 students
Completed a Master of Arts in Counseling at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in 2015

Phil Double ’12

Middle school social studies teacher in Camden, S.C.

Ron Edison ’12

Waste water operator for Ecolab, Inc.
Duties include maintaining and improving any equipment or chemicals in the waste water treatment process

Julie Novotny ’12

Graduate assistant in the Office of Career Education and Development at Slippery Rock University
Spent a year as a costumed interpreter at an outdoor living history museum
Working towards a master’s degree in Student Affairs with College Counseling at Slippery Rock University

Wes Goodman ’11

Graduated from Youngstown State University with a master's degree in history and certifications in Applied History and Architectural History in May 2014

Sheila (Gross) Farr ’10

Pursuing a Ph.D. in the Literature & Criticism program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP)
Research currently focuses on British novels by women in the nineteenth century, fairy tale, popular culture, adaptation theory, and feminism
Teaching freshman composition, research writing, and humanities literature as a part-time instructor at IUP
A research assistant for a professor's archival project
A graduate student archivist in the Special Collections Department of the IUP library
Completed a Masters of Arts in English at Gannon University in 2015.

Danielle (Hillwig) Doheny ’10

Works as a Congressional Staffer and advises a Member of Congress on policy issues related to healthcare, energy, the environment, and science space and technology
Each day, she uses the research techniques and writing skills she developed as a history major to craft legislative ideas, briefing papers, constituent correspondence, and speeches for a Member of Congress

Rachel Wrona ’10

Works at Coordinated Care Network Pharmacy in Monroeville, Pa. as a member of the Transplant Division
Utilizing her Spanish minor to communicate with patients

Michael Biggins ’08

Working as Senior Landman with Apex Energy Holdings
Prior to Apex, worked with Shell Oil and East Resources, Inc.
Completed a Masters in Science in Organizational Leadership at Geneva College in 2015

Christopher Edison ’08

Elementary Principal at Rock Creek Elementary, located in Rock Creek, Ohio
Spent six years teaching ninth grade social studies at Meadville Area Senior High School
Coached the middle school football team and was a varsity track and field coach

Jared Hirtz ’08

Assistant Director of Residence Life at Francis Marion University in Florence, S.C.

Annette Rodriguez ’08

Also earned a bachelor’s in anthropology with a focus in Forensic Anthropology from Youngstown State University
Attended graduate school for a master’s in Forensic Anthropology at Boston University School of Medicine
Her thesis, “Biodistance Analysis of Hispanic Skeletons”, was influenced by her history degree as it had much to do with Puerto Rican identity and what exactly it means to be Hispanic
Presented her research in Canada at the American Association of Physical Anthropology in April 2014
Attending John Carroll University working on a Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Medical Certificate to fulfill requirements to go to medical school
Training to be a Medical Scribe at MetroHealth Medical Center and expects to enter medical school by Fall 2017

Tim Smith ’08

Teaches British Literature at South Allegheny School District
Coaches the girls varsity soccer team and has coached middle school soccer, basketball, and track in the past
Pursuing a Masters in Special Education at Slippery Rock University

Gregory Gustovich ’07

Works as a supervisor for a marketing firm who raises funds for major political organizations

Adam Hodge ’07

Finished Ph.D. at the University of Nebraska in the spring of 2013 and began teaching full-time at Lourdes University, Sylvania, Ohio in fall 2013
Teaching the History of Ireland, which includes three weeks in Ireland
Participating in Lourdes University’s First-Year Experience program

Megan Adams ’06

Location Supervisor at UPMC Answering Service in the Corporate Revenue Cycle Division
Earned Masters of Arts in History from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2007
Taught as an adjunct at Thiel College and Community College of Allegheny County

James Antel ’06

Teaches 4th Grade at Case Avenue Elementary School in Sharon, Pa.
Previously was a US History Teacher at Sharon Middle High School in Sharon, Pa.

Andrew Tremmel ’06

Completed master’s in history at Kent State in 2008
Works at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center since 2008 leading Capitol tours
Created a variety of educational programs, and conducts research projects
First publication in the January 2013 issue of Pennsylvania History titled “The Union League, Black Leaders, and the Recruitment of Philadelphia's African-American Civil War Regiments”

Jeffery O’Leary ’03