The History Department Career Network gives you the opportunity to discuss your educational and career plans with Hanover alumni. Most, though not all, of those participating in the Career Network were history majors. As undergraduates at Hanover, they pursued some of the same academic objectives that you have pursued, shared similar interests, developed similar skills, and, although economic conditions may have been different, held similar hopes, ambitions, anxieties, and doubts about their careers. Now they have volunteered to assist you in planning your careers.

The Career Center staff has prepared advice on "Informational Interviewing" that can make contacting our alumni even more useful and satisfying.

College Teaching and Graduate School

• Dr. Paul V. Murphy, '88
  murphyp@gvsu.edu
  Associate Professor of History
  Grand Valley State University
  Allendale, MI 49401-9403
  616-331-3429
  
  Dr. Murphy completed his graduate work at Indiana University (with the Profs. Vosmeier). He now teaches American history at Grand Valley State University. His brother is Prof. Daniel Murphy.
  
  
  
• David J. Voelker, '96
  voelkerd@uwgb.edu
  Associate Professor of Humanistic Studies and History
  University of Wisconson-Green Bay
  https://blog.uwgb.edu/voelkerd/

  David Voelker completed a Ph.D. in history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2003. He has been teaching history at UW-Green Bay since then. He began a 3-year term as history chair in 2009. He is also part of the leadership team for a Teaching American History grant from the U.S. Department of Education. He has published a variety of articles and essays on the history of the early American republic.
  

  
  
  

Computers

• Mr. Jason Boley '96
  jsboley@gmail.com
  
  
  
• Mr. Matthew S. Theobald, '92
  Theobald@isen.org]
  317 North East Street
  Indianapolis, Indiana USA 46202-3610
  (317) 716-7729
  
  Mr. Theobald is the founder and CEO/President of ISEN L.L.C. He spoke at the Center for Business Preparation in November, 2006. For more about his company (which makes internet searching more effective), go to http://isen.org/ or read ISEN's blog http://blog.isen.org/.

Counseling

• Mr. Elton L. Linville '66
  36 Crosstie Lane
  Batesville, IN 47006
  les44@nalu.net
  
  Mr. Linville is a counselor.

Elementary and Secondary Education

• Mr. Timothy M. Reed, '95
  timshelbymiddle@hotmail.com
  Timothy Reed
  Kings Mountain Middle School
  National Board Certified Teacher
  Seventh Grade Social Studies
  1000 Phifer Road
  Kings Mountain, NC 28086
  
  Mr. Reed offers to be "a resource for students taking the path of a history teacher or school administrator."
  
  
  
• Mr. Peter J. Severud '71
  pjseve@verizon.net
  P.O. Box 166
  Cooperstown, NY 13326
  
  On Jan. 25, 2007, Mr. Severud wrote:
  "Yes, I am still willing to answer questions concerning teaching (elem, middle, or high school) or graduate work in the museum studies field. I am quite familiar with the Cooperstown Graduate Program in Museum Studies which is overseen by the State University College at Oneonta."
  Mr. Severud is Director for The Clark Foundation Scholarship Program.

Government and Politics

• Mr. Joshua B. Hammond '95
  
  jhammond@northlich.com
  
  On Jan. 26, 2007, Mr. Hammond wrote:
  "I currently work for Northlich, Cincinnati's largest advertising and public relations agency (www.northlich.com). In the past, I've held a variety of political communications and government affairs positions in the Midwest and Washington DC, with U.S. Senator Dan Coats (IN), U.S. Congressman Steve Buyer (IN-4) and the Computer Systems Policy Project (CSPP). I also run the Greater Cincinnati Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Job Bank. For Hanover History grads looking for careers in the communications industry, the Job Bank can be found here: http://www.cincinnatiprsa.org/jobBank/index.php ."
  
  
• Ms. Cheryl Griffith Nichols '74
  
  cgnichols79@comcast.net
  On Nov. 28, 2007, Ms. Nichols wrote:
  "My career has been in historic preservation--which once may largely have meant turning historic buildings into museums but now is more about revitalizing historic communities (both urban and rural), finding economically viable (non-museum) uses for historic buildings, containing sprawl, bringing economic vitality back to Main Street, etc."
  
  
  
• Mr. George Rasley '74
  
  geerayz@aol.com (personal)
  george.rasley@mail.house.gov (work)
  Office phone: 202-225-3706
  Home phone: 239-682-6922
  
  Hon. George K. Rasley, Jr.
  705 97th Avenue North
  Naples, FL 34108
  

  On May 6, 2007, Mr. Rasley wrote:
  "I would be delighted to assist Hanover, and particularly the History Department, in any way appropriate." He serves as Director of Communications for Congressman Mac Thornberry (TX-13). Congressman Thornberry is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He is also ranking Republican on the subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities and serves on the Strategic Threats and Capabilities subcommittee.
  
  

  
  

Journalism and Writing

• Ms. Melissa Rigney Baxter '88
  
  melissasuanne@yahoo.com
  S45W27711 Elk Valley Road
  Waukesha, WI 53189
  home office - 262.547.8180
  
  On Jan. 25, 2007, Ms. Baxter wrote:
  "I would be happy to interact with students -- I am now the managing editor of a regional women's magazine in Wisconsin and a freelance writer. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help. I was a history/English double major, and I have to say my liberal arts background has prepared me so well for a career in journalism, and in some ways I'm better prepared (and certainly better read) than some of my journalism school grad counterparts."
  For a sampling of Ms. Baxter's journalism, see Meningitis Vaccine, Anti-War Vigil and Work and Motherhood. More articles are available here.
  
  
  
• Ms. Wendy Thanisch '88
  wthanisch1@yahoo.com
  
  In 1999, Ms. Thanisch wrote:
  "While I did not pursue a career in history after all, the training I received from Hanover's History Dept. provided me with the valuable skills essential to my current profession. As an investigator it is frequently necessary to research historical records and other information available from various different different sources. When checking into the backgrounds of various individuals, companies and institutions, I am often reminded of my college experience as a history student. I was interested in the lives, backgrounds and accomplishments of well known figures. History is not necessarily old."
  On Jan. 25, 2007, she wrote:
  "I would, indeed, be happy to assist students with any questions they might have. If it would be helpful to know beforehand, the discipline of history has now become for me an advocation, but it has served me tremendously in terms of understanding society, politics, and business. The research, writing & critical thinking skills I developed as an undergraduate & post-grad historian continue to serve me professionally as a self-employed writer/researcher."
  

Law and Law School

Libraries and Information Technology

• Mr. Jason Boley '96
  jsboley@gmail.com
  
  
  
• Mr. Matthew S. Theobald, '92
  Theobald@isen.org]
  317 North East Street
  Indianapolis, Indiana USA 46202-3610
  (317) 716-7729
  
  Mr. Theobald is the founder and CEO/President of ISEN L.L.C. He spoke at the Center for Business Preparation in November, 2006. For more about his company (which makes internet searching more effective), go to http://isen.org/ or read ISEN's blog http://blog.isen.org/.

Marketing, Sales, Business

• Mr. Joshua B. Hammond '95
  
  jhammond@northlich.com
  
  On Jan. 26, 2007, Mr. Hammond wrote:
  "I currently work for Northlich, Cincinnati's largest advertising and public relations agency (www.northlich.com). In the past, I've held a variety of political communications and government affairs positions in the Midwest and Washington DC, with U.S. Senator Dan Coats (IN), U.S. Congressman Steve Buyer (IN-4) and the Computer Systems Policy Project (CSPP). I also run the Greater Cincinnati Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Job Bank. For Hanover History grads looking for careers in the communications industry, the Job Bank can be found here: http://www.cincinnatiprsa.org/jobBank/index.php ."
  
  
• Mr. Matthew S. Theobald, '92
  Theobald@isen.org]
  317 North East Street
  Indianapolis, Indiana USA 46202-3610
  (317) 716-7729
  
  Mr. Theobald is the founder and CEO/President of ISEN L.L.C. He spoke at the Center for Business Preparation in November, 2006. For more about his company (which makes internet searching more effective), go to http://isen.org/ or read ISEN's blog http://blog.isen.org/.

Museums and Public History

• Katie Johnson, '07
  katemjohn@gmail.com
  Public Programs Assistant Coordinator
  The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
  50 E. Freedom Way
  Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
  513-333-7554
  
  Ms. Johnson got her start in museums working at the Cincinnati History Museum as an historical interpreter. Following her Winter 2006 internship with the Philadelphia Society for the Preservation of Landmarks as the Assistant Educator for the Grumblethorpe Elementary Education Program, she was hired at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, as the Public Programs Assistant Coordinator in the Education Department, the position she currently holds. She hopes to pursue a graduate degree in Museum Education.

  
  

• Kirstie Kleopfer Craven ’03
  kirstie.craven@cincyart.org
  
  Ms. Kleopfer completed her M.A. in art history from the University of Cincinnati in 2007. She works in the Cincinnati Art Museum in the registration department, and she has worked for the Visual Resources Center in the library for the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning.
  
  
• Ms. Cheryl Griffith Nichols '74
  
  cgnichols79@comcast.net
  On Mar. 21, 2006, Ms. Nichols wrote:
  I graduated from Hanover in 1974 with a major in history and subsequently received an MA in American Civilization, with a concentration in historic preservation, from The George Washington University in 1981. (I actually attended GWU during the 1977-78 school year, but it took me a little while to finish my thesis!) My first job after graduating from Hanover was as executive director of the Bartholomew County Historical Society in Columbus, IN, and it was during my three years in that position that I "discovered" the field of historic preservation. I have worked in preservation, in one capacity or another, almost continuously since about 1975, when the Bartholomew County Historical Society launched its first preservation-related project (an architectural survey of the oldest area of Columbus). While I was in graduate school, I worked for the National Register of Historic Places and, since moving to Little Rock, AR in 1979, I've worked variously as a preservation consultant and--for 9 1/2 years--as the executive director of Little Rock's local preservation organization, the Quapaw Quarter Association. Presently I am primarily a preservation volunteer, serving on the board of directors of the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas and on the Board of Advisors of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
  On Nov. 28, 2007, Ms. Nichols added:
  "My career has been in historic preservation--which once may largely have meant turning historic buildings into museums but now is more about revitalizing historic communities (both urban and rural), finding economically viable (non-museum) uses for historic buildings, containing sprawl, bringing economic vitality back to Main Street, etc."

  
  

• Mr. Peter J. Severud '71
  pjseve@verizon.net
  P.O. Box 166
  Cooperstown, NY 13326
  
  On Jan. 25, 2007, Mr. Severud wrote:
  "Yes, I am still willing to answer questions concerning teaching (elem, middle, or high school) or graduate work in the museum studies field. I am quite familiar with the Cooperstown Graduate Program in Museum Studies which is overseen by the State University College at Oneonta."
  Mr. Severud is Director for The Clark Foundation Scholarship Program

Private Investigation

• Ms. Wendy Thanisch '88
  wthanisch1@yahoo.com
  
  In 1999, Ms. Thanisch wrote:
  "While I did not pursue a career in history after all, the training I received from Hanover's History Dept. provided me with the valuable skills essential to my current profession. As an investigator it is frequently necessary to research historical records and other information available from various different different sources. When checking into the backgrounds of various individuals, companies and institutions, I am often reminded of my college experience as a history student. I was interested in the lives, backgrounds and accomplishments of well known figures. History is not necessarily old."
  On Jan. 25, 2007, she wrote:
  "I would, indeed, be happy to assist students with any questions they might have. If it would be helpful to know beforehand, the discipline of history has now become for me an advocation, but it has served me tremendously in terms of understanding society, politics, and business. The research, writing & critical thinking skills I developed as an undergraduate & post-grad historian continue to serve me professionally as a self-employed writer/researcher."