History at Illinois

10/15/2026

This week we welcomed back PhD alums Juan Ignacio Mora, Robert M. Rouphail and Michael Staudenmaier for an event celebrating their first books. We're so proud to have you as alumni! Thank you for a wonderful event!

10/13/2026

Professor Ralph Mathisen has spent the last 30 years studying a manuscript from the late Roman Empire.

Called the Codex Sangallensis 190, it contains the only surviving copies of letters written by religious leaders and two anonymous women in Southern Gaul (South France).

He’s recently published his research in a new book that investigates the text of the manuscript but also how it was made, the scribes who created it, and how it has survived through history.

Along the way, he examined old-age doodles, identified the scribes who copied the letters, including one he dubbed “the old monk”, and gained insights into the manuscript’s many mysteries.

Learn more at the link in the comments.

09/30/2026

🔶Alumni Spotlight 🔶

Alumnus Nile Blunt (PhD, '11, history) is the newly appointed director of the Cahoon Museum of American Art.

We spoke with him about how his degree in history has shaped his career.

He said his PhD provided him with versatile skills that have allowed him to work in diverse fields and shaped his commitment to making history and art accessible to diverse audiences.

Read the full interview at the link in the comments.

09/28/2026

Congratulations! 🎉

History alumna Kate D. McMahon (BA, '91, history) is the recipient of the 2026 Illini Comeback Award from the University of Illinois Alumni Association.

Through her work with Messina Touring Group and Anschutz Entertainment Group, McMahon leads a team that brings in more than $1.1 billion in concert grosses, promoting music industry giants such as Kenny Chesney, Ed Sheeran, and George Strait. She got her start marketing concerts as a member of the university’s oldest student-run organization, Star Course.

Learn more about her work at the link in the comments.

Illinois Alumni Liberal Arts & Sciences at Illinois

08/27/2026

Our faculty and graduate students gathered at Triptych to celebrate the start of the school year! Here's to another great year!

08/26/2026

The Department of History is launching the first undergraduate degree program in history and data science in the country!

By harnessing data science, historians can analyze vast troves of data to uncover its hidden patterns, validate existing theories, and even generate fresh hypotheses about past events and societal shifts.

Data literacy and analysis skills have become increasingly valuable across almost all industries. In our program students will apply a historian's training and insights to data and become prepared for a wide variety of data-informed careers.

Learn more at the link in the comments.

Liberal Arts & Sciences at Illinois

08/19/2026

History graduate student OT Thompson was awarded first place at the 2026 Summer Predoctoral Programs Research Symposium for her presentation "No Perfect Plan: Understanding Local Efforts to Desegregate Springfield, Illinois District 186." Congratulations!

08/18/2026

Read an interview with professor Laura Goffman!

Another fantastic talk with the brilliant Laura Goffman. Her work is truly impressive and we highly recommend you to take a peek into her work in this episode! Read the full interview at csames.illinois.edu

08/12/2026

Professor Marc Hertzman has been named a University Scholar in recognition of his excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service. Congratulations!

Learn more about the honor at the link in the comments.

08/10/2026

History professor Kalani Craig is one of eleven faculty members across campus to receive the Cohen Innovation Award from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation!

Her project, Virtual Medieval Pilgrimages, is a public humanities platform that reimagines medieval pilgrimage through locally customized, geolocation-based experiences inspired by global pilgrimage traditions.

Learn more about her project at the link in the comments.