Kean Magazine cover, Summer 2014 with the first group of Honor’s History Students: Stephanie Valente, Anthony McFarlane, Michael Collins, and Christina Leedy, under the guidance of associate professors Dr. Jonathan Mercantini, now Acting Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Dr. Elizabeth Hyde, Chair, Department of History.
Project History
In 2010, University Archivist Erin Alghandoor gained stewardship of the Kean University Archives. The scrapbook was a highlight for sharing when classes came to visit. She developed a relationship with the then Department of History Chair, Dr. Jonathan Mercantini, and assistant-Chair, Dr. Elizabeth Hyde, who were creating an Honors History program. It was agreed that the scrapbook would be a great initial launching project, which began in 2013.
For four years, 21 Honors History students have been scanning, transcribing, analyzing letters, and writing biographies about the letter writers. Students were able to look in other parts of the Kean University Archives to find supporting evidence for the letter writers and campus life in The Service Men’s News newsletter, student newspaper, yearbooks, course catalogs, alumni publications, awards for fundraisers, and transcripts from past and recent interviews. Students have presented their findings at national and regional honors conferences, including the prestigious “Posters on the Hill” sponsored by the Council for Undergraduate Research. History Honor’s Students were featured in two issues of “Kean Magazine,” in Summer 2008 and Spring 2017. They also curated two exhibits, one of which was displayed at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference in Newark, April 2017.
This project is the result of cross-college collaboration of the following:
Honor’s History Students
- Shannon Berry ‘16
- Michael Collins ’14
- Jonathan Cutler ’15
- Caleb Dagnell ‘18
- Zachary DeLeon ‘18
- Jessica DiFranco ‘17
- Kevin Fette ’16
- Brianna Gordon
- Frank Harpster ‘17
- Laura Hurley ‘17
- Gabriel Kissoon ’16
- Christina Leedy ’15
- Dave Lewis ‘16
- Erik Lister ‘18
- Angelina Lysenko
- Anthony MacFarlane ‘14
- Leanne Manna ‘18
- Caitlyn Murphy ‘17
- Colin Scotti ‘16
- Michelle Thompson ‘17
- Stephanie Valente ‘16
Kean University Department of History Honors Program
Dr. Jonathan Mercantini
Dr. Elizabeth Hyde, Co-Directors
Mary Woubneh, Administrative Assistant
Kean University Archives and Special Collections
Erin Alghandoor, Archivist
Kean University Center for History, Politics, and Policy
Terry Golway, Former Director
Shane Derris, Former Assistant Director
Kean University Department of Computer Science
Professor Patricia Morreale
Professor Liou Jing-Chiou
Students
Joseph Galindo
Jaime Corea
Sasha Quinga
Kean University Robert Busch School of Design
Dawnmarie McDermid, Creative Lead, Design Studio
Students
Rachel Nierras
Jubenal Torres
Amilana Perez
Anna Vasilenko
Marc Rosario
Ryan Wariki
Erica Whyte
Kean University Office of Academic Affairs
Jeffrey Toney, Vice President of Academic Affairs
Kean University Nancy Thompson Library
Kimberly Fraone, Acting University Librarian
Kean University Foundation
Stella Maher
Kean University Office of the Registrar
Ken Wolpin, Registrar
Rosa Camelli
Kean University Center for Academic Success
Maria Perez
Kean University Facilities and Planning
Tracie Feldman
Kean University Research and Sponsored Programs
Susan Gannon, Acting Director
Kean University Office of Media Relations
Susan Kayne
Margaret McCorry
Emmanuel Vozos
Bryan Pekarek
Lawrence Cortes
Ian Alfano
Kean University OCIS/AV
Muhammad Hassan
William Burton
Fahad Mughal
Christopher Rustick
Kean University College of Visual and Performing Arts
Bruce De La Cruz and Performers
Special Thank You
Thomas Thompson, Web Developer, Rutgers '14