GREENVILLE, Pa.—Keith Orejel, Ph.D., Associate Professor of History at Wilmington College, will discuss his ongoing research into rural and small-town politics in Stamm Hall in the James Pedas Communication Center at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 12.
Orejel attended the University of California, Berkeley as an undergraduate before going on to complete an M.A. and Ph.D. from Columbia University. He specializes in 20th-century United States political history, with particular emphasis on the economic and political transformations of rural and small-town America following World War II. At Wilmington College, he teaches courses in American history and is developing new offerings on topics such as American agricultural history and the political dynamics of the postwar era.
“Dr. Orejel’s research speaks directly to questions that continue to shape political life in rural and small-town America,” said Jay Donis, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of History at Thiel College. “His work helps students and community members better understand how economic change, public policy, and local political cultures evolved in the postwar period—and why those developments still matter today.”
Among his published works is the peer-reviewed article “The Origins of the Iowa Development Commission: Agricultural Transformation and Industrial Development in Mid-Twentieth Century Iowa,” which appeared in The Annals of Iowa. He is working on a book project that examines rural and small-town politics after World War II. He has presented his scholarship at a number of national conferences, including the Business History Conference and the Policy History Conference, and published numerous articles in academic journals and online history forums.
About Thiel College
Thiel College is an independent college founded in the Lutheran tradition. Located in Greenville, Pa., the College offers 60 majors and minors, 24 varsity sports, and an 11:1 student-faculty ratio. The College is also home to a new Master of Science in speech-language pathology and 2Master of Business Administration. Both master’s degree programs offer innovative and accelerated five-year paths which allow students to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years. The speech-language pathology program also has an accelerated 15-month graduate-level program. The M.B.A. program also has a 12-month post-graduate program.A dedicated faculty paired with dynamic research and internship opportunities produce numerous graduate school and job placements. Coeducational from its beginnings, the College remains committed to combining tradition with innovation as it celebrates 150 years.