This April, graduate students, alumni, and faculty from the LUC History Graduate Program convened in Atlanta for the National Council on Public History annual conference. The theme this year was “To Be Determined.” This was the first in-person NCPH national conference in four years, and many graduate students’ first national conference experience.

Current graduate students used the conference as an opportunity to share their current scholarship. Caroline Handley (MAPH 2023) presented a poster entitled “’What a Heritage They Left Us’: Pioneer Identity in Upper Midwestern Community History Books.” Hannah Lahti (PhD Candidate) participated as a discussant for the “Processing, Interpreting, and Healing from Historical Trauma” working group. Brian Burtka (MAPH 2024) also participated as a discussant in the “Lincoln Reimagined” working group. Yujay Masah (MAPH/MLIS 2025) also was a working group discussant in the “Facilitating Difficult Conversations in an Age of Political Polarization” group.

Caroline Handley presenting her poster at NCPH.

The conference was also a time to reconnect with former students from the program. Sean Jacobson (PhD 2022), now teaching at the University of North Alabama, presented on a panel entitled, “Monuments to Death or Life? Challenges and Changes in Interpreting White Settler Colonialism.”

Alumnus Sean Jacobson promoting the Public History program at his current institution, UNA (left) and presenting on a panel (right).

To cap off the conference, Loyolans gathered for a sushi-filled reception hosted by Dr. Ted Karamanski and Dr. Brad Hunt. Current students and alumni took advantage of this opportunity to network and connect with each other.

Current students, faculty, and friends of the department at the reception.

We look forward to seeing everyone at next year’s NCPH conference in Salt Lake City!

Current students Haley Carlton, Yujay Masah, and Ashli Lucio took the opportunity to explore the city of Atlanta during the conference.