SOCIAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT NEWS

SPRING 2008

Benjamin Hammons, Jeffrey Meador, and Stephanie Winnet of the Stephenville campus  and David Wachira of the Killeen campus recieved their MA degree in History at the Spring 2008 Commencement Ceremony.   Alvin Anthony Dudik of the Stephenville campus received the M.A. in Political Science at the Spring 2008 Commencement Ceremony.

The following students from the Stephenville campus received the BA degree in History at the Spring 2008 Commencement Ceremony:  Shandy Joblin, Jonathan Litton, Brandon Morton, Jonathon Parker, and Francisco Reyes .    The following students from the Killeen campus received the BA degree in History at the Spring 2008 Commencement Ceremony: Destiny Cilumba, Christopher Gouldthrop, Patrick Hanson, Juan Irizarry, and Gay Lynn Kindle.

Wendie Bullard, Shayna Dunn, and Elizabeth Rosenfeld  of the Stephenville campus received the BA degree in Political Science at the Spring 2008 Commencement Ceremony.  Stacy DeLaune, Thomas Ellis, Brita Herlugson,  John Hoover, Jonathon Litton, Frank Luyster, Natalie Mullin, and Valine Reed-Napps, of the Stephenville campus  received the BS degree in Political Science at the Spring 2008 Commencement Ceremony. Travis Bates, Philip Crosby, Patrick Hanson, Jeffrey Matthews, Tina Senkel, Bryan Serwatka, and Ashley Stucky  of the Killeen campus received the BS degree in Political Science at the Spring 2008 Commencement Ceremony.

Elizabeth Rosenfeld, who recieved her BA degree in Political Science, was named Outstanding Graduate from the Department of Social Sciences at the Spring 2008 Commencement Ceremony.

History major Stephanie Winnett  worked at the W.K. Gordon Center for the Industrial History of Texas this semester as a departmental graduate assistant

President Dennis McCabe and the Texas A&M Board of Regents  approved the renaming of the Humanities Building in honor of Dr. O.A. Grant, former professor of Political Science and Head of the Department of Social Sciences.  The renaming ceremony was held in November 2007 during Homecoming.   Dr. Donald Zelman served as master of ceremonies at the well-attended event.  Photos of the renamed building (taken by Dr. Dean Minix) can be viewed at http://www.tarleton.edu/~socsci/RENAME.ppt

Allegra Watson, who received her B.A. degree in History at the Fall 2006 commencement ceremony, has obtained a position with the Historic Preservation Commission of Granbury, Texas.  She recently designed a web-site for the Commission and it can be found at http://www.granbury.org (click on "Departments," then "Community Development," then "Historic Preservation Commission," and then, finally, "Granbury Historical Landmarks")

Mr. Alvis Yardley, instructor in  Political Science,  has resigned as chair of the Erath County Democratic Party in order to run for the position of County Commissioner.

Dr. T. Lindsay Baker, director of the W.K. Gordon Center for the Industrial History of Texas (in Thurber, TX) presided over a book-signing ceremony at Tarleton's Trogdon House on May 2, 2008.  The book-signing celebrated Dr. Baker's publication of five books over the past five years, including his sequel, More Ghost Towns of Texas (University of Oklahoma Press, 2003).

Dr. Christopher Guthrie, professor of history, had a developmental leave (sabbatical) during Spring 2008 to begin research on his new project, a study of Louis Philippe Joseph, duc d'Orléans (nicknamed "Philippe Egalité") and his role in the French Revolution.

Dr. Malcolm Cross, associate professor of Political Science, ran unopposed in the May 10th City Council election and was reelected to that body.

 Dr. Greg Atkinson currently serves as the representative of the Department of Social Sciences on the Tarleton State University Faculty Senate

The Department of Social Sciences has added a "Public History" option to the MA program in history.  If you are interested in this exciting new program, please contact Dr. T. Lindsay Baker at  (254) 968-9021 or go to http://www.tarleton.edu/~publichistory.  

The Department of Social Sciences is also now offering graduate history and political science classes at the Fort Worth campus of Tarleton State University.  For more information, see http://www.tarleton.edu/~fortworth/index.htm or contact Dr. Janet Schmelzer at schmelz@tarleton.edu  or (254) 968-9918.

Mr. Casey Hogan, who recieved his B.S. degree in Political Science in December 2007, has obtained an executive position at the Texas FFA Headquarters in Austin, TX.  He will marry Dr. Guthrie's daughter, Sophie, in December 2008.

Mr. Micah Adkinson, a recent graduate with a degree in Political Science, is currently a captain in the United States Marine Corps.  He serves as an instructor at the Marine's training facility at Quantico, Virginia. 

Mr. Aaron Smith, who received his MA in History in Spring 2006, is now stationed with the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York.  He is a Kiowa Warrior helicopter pilot who will be deployed later in 2008.

Mr, Gene Rhea Tucker, who received his M.A. degree in History in May 2006 under the direction of Dr. T. Lindsay Baker, is in the Ph.D. program at the University of Texas at Arlington.  He will teach several classes for us this summer.

Mr. Michael McLatchy, who received his MA in History in 2005 and a MA degree in Political Science in 2007 assumed a teaching position at Claredon College in the fall of 2007.

Mr. Kenneth Davis, who graduated with a B.A. in History in May 2006, has obtained a job teaching World and Texas History at Roby High School (Roby, TX).

Ms Cynthia Johnson, who obtained her MA degree in history in May 2001, teaches world and American history at Cisco Community College and has just been awarded tenure there.

Mr. William Hagood, who earned his M.A. degree in history in May 2005, teaches U.S. History part-time for Cisco Community College.  He also works with Jennifer Green, who received her masters degree in history in 2004, in the Upward Bound program at Tarleton.  Ms Green is the director of the program

Mr. Michael Silverman, who earned his M.A. degree in Political Science in 1996, had been promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the United States Army.  Currently working in the CIA Office of Military Affairs, Mike will move to Fort Stewart, Georgia, next year to command a combined arms battalion.

Ms Paula Martin, who earned her MA in history in 1998 under the direction of Dr. Christopher Guthrie, has completed her dissertation  on  Dr. Suzanne Noel, an early 20th century French plastic surgeon and an influential feminist leader, and earned her Ph.D. in history from the University of Nevada at Reno.  She now lives in Paris. 

Mr. Douglas Franklin, who received his BA in history from Tarleton in Spring 2004, is now pursuing his MA degree in history at the University of North Texas.

Mr. Joe Grimshaw, who recieved his M.A. in history under the direction of Dr. T. Lindsay Baker in Summer 2004, is attending Texas Christian University  and working on a Ph.D. in American history. 

Mr. Christopher Lehman, who earned his BA degree in history in Spring 2004,  completed his masters degree in Public History at Texas State University-San Marcos.   Mr. Jason Newton, who also earned his  B.A. degree in history in Spring 2004, has just completed his M.A. in history at Texas State (with a minor in anthropology).  He specialized in ancient and medieval history and plans someday to earn another advanced degree in archaeology in the United Kingdom.

Mr. John Bretthorst, who received his BA in history from Tarleton in Spring 1999, is a captain in the United States Army and  served his country in Iraq until his return home in January 2005.  Mr. Nathan Gillis, who recieved his BA in history from Tarleton in the Spring of 2001, has also completed his tour of duty in Iraq as a lieutenant and currently resides in Granbury, Texas.