Slippery Rock University History Department

Slippery Rock University History Department The department is committed both to academic excellence and to the encouragement of creativity and innovation.

The History Department of Slippery Rock University seeks to educate and mentor students to be future leaders in their endeavors and professions by disseminating a knowledge of the past through intensive instruction and research. We welcome and respect differences, because diversity is a key ingredient in quality education and general discourse. We seek to recruit students from all backgrounds and

to foster a culture that instills a sense of responsibility for the broader community. We encourage open debate of ideas within an intellectual environment of mutual respect.

As September 1st practically wraps up the summer, scroll to read about some of the historical places our history student...
09/01/2026

As September 1st practically wraps up the summer, scroll to read about some of the historical places our history students visited while on break! šŸ§³ā˜€ļø

Did you go anywhere historical? Let us know in the comments! šŸ‘‡

Save the date! šŸ—“ļøThe annual mandatory history majors meeting will be on September 24th during common hour in Spotts 111M...
08/31/2026

Save the date! šŸ—“ļø

The annual mandatory history majors meeting will be on September 24th during common hour in Spotts 111

Meet your department, learn more about what history can do for you, and get to know your fellow classmates! We canā€™t wait to see you there! (Weā€™re talking to you too, SEFE students šŸ‘€)

ā­ļø Yes, another new faculty member! Welcome, Dr. Miu!Ever since he was a kid playing history-related video games, Dr. Mi...
08/28/2026

ā­ļø Yes, another new faculty member! Welcome, Dr. Miu!

Ever since he was a kid playing history-related video games, Dr. Miu always knew he wanted to be a historian. He acquired his PhD and began teaching in Minneapolis for a year before working in Beijing for another two years. Dr. Miuā€™s current research focuses on social life under occupation during World War II and one misconception he hopes to teach more people about is the complexities of survival. He also examines socialism in China and in his words, he states, ā€œI know a lot about socialism and I know what socialism could and could not do.ā€ Utilizing primary source documentaries, Dr. Miu aims to push students to understand the world beyond the borders of western Pennsylvania. He says ā€œI want them to be more curious about the world. I think thatā€™s what world history is forā€¦give them something, just a bite of world history and world culture that they might be interested in.ā€ It is with great enthusiasm that we welcome Dr. Miu to the Slippery Rock History Department!

Here are some fun facts about him!

šŸ§  If he wasnā€™t a historian, Dr. Miu would be: ā€œI might work in military logistics or may become a CPAā€

šŸ“ŗ If he could make any section of history that he teaches a tv show, it would be: ā€œThe occupied periodā€

šŸ“– If Dr. Miu was an artifact, he would be: ā€œThe civil code of the Republic of China or Japan, but I would prefer to be the first compiled book so people look at this like ā€˜oh this is where the law of our countries come from!ā€™ā€

ā­ļø Welcome to the Department, Dr. Myers! Hailing from Milwaukee, Dr. Myers is joining the Slippery Rock University Histo...
08/28/2026

ā­ļø Welcome to the Department, Dr. Myers!

Hailing from Milwaukee, Dr. Myers is joining the Slippery Rock University History Department as a professor of the Middle Ages. There was never a point in her life, she says, where she wasnā€™t interested in the Middle Ages. Even before she could read, she was looking at the pictures within the history books of her grandfatherā€™s library. She also devoured medievalist fantasy literature like the Lord of the Rings. Dr. Myers knew this was the history she wanted to teach, especially after she spent a semester studying abroad in Toledo, Spain. She attended Ripon College in Wisconsin as a triple major in history, classical languages, and Spanish and continued her education by receiving her PhD at Princeton. Within her class, Dr. Myers emphasized saying, ā€œIf you want to understand how the world got to where it is today, you have to study the Middle Agesā€ and further stated, ā€œI think we have a lot to learn from peasants. Medieval life was very different from modern life, but I do thinkā€¦weā€™d have so much in common with them.ā€ If students take away anything from her classes, it is to know that medieval history is not boring, dull, or dead. In her words, ā€œ...if we ignore it, none of the modern world actually makes sense.ā€ Welcome again, Dr. Myers!

Here are some fun facts about her!

šŸŖ“ Favorite spot on campus: ā€œMy officeā€

šŸ›”ļø How many times has she really seen Monty Python and the Holy Grail: ā€œItā€™s definitely more than 10ā€

šŸ“œ If Dr. Myers was a medieval artifact, she would be: ā€œA palimpsestā€

Welcome back to campus, everybody! Good luck with your first day of class and we cannot wait to see you all back in Spot...
08/24/2026

Welcome back to campus, everybody! Good luck with your first day of class and we cannot wait to see you all back in Spotts for another incredible semester! šŸ¤­

If youā€™ve been to the History Department in the last 15 years, chances are youā€™ve met Lori Marttala, the Department Admi...
07/13/2026

If youā€™ve been to the History Department in the last 15 years, chances are youā€™ve met Lori Marttala, the Department Administrative Assistant. It is with great appreciation for all that she has done for our faculty and students that we announce her retirement. She has been at SRU for 20 years and is the ultimate source of knowledge, wisdom, warmth, and kindness. We thank her for all she has done for our department, faculty, and students and wish her well in her retirement!

Congratulations, Lori, and Happy Retirement! We will miss you!

There arenā€™t enough words to express how proud we are of our history graduates. No matter how far you go, just remember ...
05/09/2026

There arenā€™t enough words to express how proud we are of our history graduates. No matter how far you go, just remember the SRU History Department is cheering you on every step of the way! Congratulations graduates! šŸŽ“šŸ’š

Undergraduates:
Cameron Antoniotti
Braiden Bechel
Travis Grill
Leah Harris
Scott Miller
Aidan Oā€™Rourke
Christian Petruzzi
Travis Redick
Matthew Sinka
Alex Tiller
Greta Walk
Alexander Reick
Wayne Sell

Graduates:
Alexander Caldwell
Cody Fulton
Jaydan Gavalier
Matthew Horne
Evan Pinchot
John Shiffert
James Taafel
Caz Williams

Slippery Rock University

Wondering where our history graduates are going next? Meet the undergraduate class of 2026! šŸŽ“Congratulations to:Cameron ...
05/09/2026

Wondering where our history graduates are going next? Meet the undergraduate class of 2026! šŸŽ“

Congratulations to:
Cameron Antoniotti
Braiden Bechel
Travis Grill
Leah Harris
Scott Miller
Aidan Oā€™Rourke
Christian Petruzzi
Travis Redick
Matthew Sinka
Alex Tiller
Greta Walk
Alexander Reick
Wayne Sell

SRU History Students: Abroad Edition šŸŒŽšŸ§³Wondering why you were seeing castles on our page? No, thatā€™s not what Spotts loo...
05/06/2026

SRU History Students: Abroad Edition šŸŒŽšŸ§³

Wondering why you were seeing castles on our page? No, thatā€™s not what Spotts looks like. Our social media assistant, Eirene Paliouras, was able to travel to the islands of Rhodes and Symi for a little over a week. Over the course of her trip, she was able to explore the islands, soak up the culture, and learn about their rich history!

You may know Rhodes from the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World list which features the Colossus of Rhodes. While the 30-meter bronze statue depicting Helios no longer exists, there are many wonders on this island. One of them is Rhodesā€™s Medieval Old Town, which was built by the Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem who ruled from 1310 to 1522. Since its construction, it has served as a cultural center and has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Greek Orthodoxy has always been a key component of Greeceā€™s culture and a vital part to Eireneā€™s identity. She was able to hike up the historical 300 steps to the Panagia Tsambika Monastery located on Tsambika Mountain. The icon of Panagia Tsambika holds cultural importance as it has proven to be miracle-working icon for women struggling to bear children. Another miraculous icon Eirene was able to see was Agios (Saint) Phanourious located in the heart of Old Town. He is famous for helping people find lost or hidden things, or spiritual matters of the heart. In Greece and amongst Greek populations around the world, people honor Agios Phanourious by making a symbolic cake called ā€œPhanouropita.ā€

By exploring islands full of castles, miracles, pebble-lined streets, and runaway goats, Eirene was able to use her research skills from the SRU history program to cultivate items she wants to use in future projects in her college career and beyond.

Interested in planning a historical trip? Check out the deep, rich, and bountiful culture and history of Rhodes and Symi! šŸ°

Address

303 Spotts World Cultures Bldg
Slippery Rock, PA
16057

Telephone

+17247382053

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Slippery Rock University History Department posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The University

Send a message to Slippery Rock University History Department:

Shortcuts

Share

Category