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Phil Mansfield
Hometown: Twinsburg, OH
High School: Twinsburg
Major: History
Why did you choose to pursue history at Mount Union? I have always liked history since middle school. History, however, was not my first major here at Mount as I initially was a business and sport management double major. I happened to have Dr. Herrera's Colonial and 19th Century America class as a general requirement course during my first semester and it reminded me how much I truly appreciated history. I especially enjoy how history incorporates a variety of academic disciplines and can be studied from many different perspectives.
What types of jobs are available for students who share your major? There are a wide range of jobs available for history majors. Teaching at the high school level is one of the more popular career choices for history majors here at Mount. Students can also continue on to graduate study in history or law school, and can find jobs at museums, research archives, or colleges. These all seem to be typical paths a history major could choose from, but because of the easily transferable skills a history major possesses, careers in fields such as business, journalism, politics, and public service are readily available as well.
How will you use your degree upon graduation? I plan to further my study of history by attending graduate school. Tentatively I plan to concentrate on early America, with a particular focus toward American Indians, African Americans, and notions of race and culture in the Atlantic World. I am also considering a secondary field in Latin America. My ultimate goal is to become a professor of history at a college or university.
What activities are you involved in? I am currently involved in the History and Political Science Club, Student Senate, Phi Alpha Theta, the MUC marching band, and work as a tutor in the writing center.
Elements a person should possess to succeed in your major? In order to be a successful history major, a student must possess a wide variety of skills. Most important among these is the ability to analyze major concepts and express ideas. Analyzing facts and being able to explain why they are important to a particular subject are much more important than just reciting them. Being able to express clearly such analyses in speech and writing is just as vital to success in the major.
What advice can you offer for someone who is considering having the same major as you? The simplest advice I could give someone who is considering a history major is to emphasize the difference between liking history and liking the study of history. A student might find some historical events very interesting, but would not like to analyze or debate that event. If a student thinks they may be interested in becoming a history major, they should take a class and see if they enjoy it. Since everyone has to take at least one history course to fulfill a graduation requirement, there is no loss if they decide to major in another discipline.
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