Chloe Kauffman is a junior History major, with a triple minor in Anthropology, Psychology, and Gender Studies. The following is her responses to interview questions written by the History Department’s work studies. Her responses are the part of a series of responses gathered from Messiah University history students about classes, interests, and their experience as a student during a pandemic.
Interview Question: What history courses are you taking this semester?
Chloe’s Answer: I’m in America in the Age of Revolution with Fea and Reformation and Early Modern Europe with Norm!
Q: In your personal research, or in your classes, what is something you have learned about that was interesting?
A: One of the most fascinating topics I have learned about as a history student at Messiah was a concept we would briefly mention throughout Dr. Fea’s Age of Hamilton class – we never spent much time on it, but it would appear time and time again. Essentially, within texts and speeches that the Founding Fathers created during the American Revolution and the following few decades, the language use would be heavily gendered. For example, France was broadly referred to, as a country, with feminine pronouns, while America was referred to with masculine pronouns. The use of these pronouns, as well as other “gendered” terms (virtue, rationality, etc. being masculine terms, seductive, passion, etc. being feminine terms) reflected how women were viewed in that time period. The Founding Fathers wanted to portray America as exhibiting masculine qualities, as they were highly valued in the late eighteenth century, while they wanted to paint other countries (such as France, especially in the time of the French Revolution), in a less favorable light, utilizing the negative view of women and femininity to enhance their position. While not directly studied in any of my classes, it is research that I am fascinated by, and hope to eventually pursue as a deeper study of rhetoric and its sociological and historical impact.
Q: How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your life as a student?
A: There are some very tangible ways in which I have been affected by the pandemic – for one, I was supposed to go to Greece on a cross-cultural with Dr. Pettegrew in May of 2020, and that was cancelled. It’s been difficult to plan exciting events as a club leader, and I’ve been missing the ability to do experiential learning, such as taking trips with History Club or getting to do the usual walking tours that Dr. Fea would do with his America in the Age of Revolution class. However, the biggest impact has been the less tangible, but more ever-present, affect that the pandemic has had on my motivation. It feels doubly hard to complete work and so much more difficult to get excited about the content we are learning. In my cognition class, we talked about the concept of cognitive load – essentially, how much information and stress your brain can process before it hits its limit. In the pandemic, a good part of our available cognitive load is being taken up by the stress of living through COVID-19. Being a student on top of simply trying to process and live through a global pandemic is just a never-ending sequence of increased mental strain. Thankfully, I have still been able to find joy in my education and excitement in what I am learning, but it seemed much easier to do so before the pandemic.
Q: Are you involved in any research, project, or internship right now?
A: Research truly is an important and highly valuable part of my life – when it is a topic that I am interested in, it does not feel like work. Thus, I am involved in a lot of research projects and internships right now, as it is something that I genuinely enjoy surrounding myself with. Currently, I am working on my honors project, which is also a departmental honors project with the history department. That research will be on masculinity, sexuality, and Revolutionary America, with a focus on John Laurens and Alexander Hamilton. Additionally, I am working as an intern for Dr. Fea, researching Alexander Hamilton and religion. I also work as an intern for Dr. Myers, researching women in the American military from the Civil War to present. Additionally, I am writing a paper for Dr. Fea’s Age of Revolution class on John Laurens and mental health in the 18th century… so, needless to say, I am involved in a lot of research at the moment!
Q: If there was one thing you could tell upcoming history students, what would it be?
A: The one thing I would tell upcoming history students is to follow your passions. The department is here to provide you with a broad range of historical knowledge, but if you find a research interest that really drives your passions, run with it. The department will support you in any way they can, and you will be encouraged in whatever niche area of history you decide to focus on. I have had such an amazing experience in the department, and much of it is due to the professors supporting me in following my research interests and encouraging me in developing those ideas further
We would like to thank Chloe for her responses and her insight into interesting historical concepts and what it is like to be student during the COVID-19 pandemic.
History on the Bridge 