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Why Hopkins Students Love History

Fall 2021

By Magazine Staff

The Department of History is a midsize, but engaging department and major at Johns Hopkins. It boasts the oldest Ph.D. history program in the nation. Many of the faculty have award-winning books and research, and focus on social, economic, intellectual, and cultural history. These four undergraduates tell us what makes them love being a history major.

To me, history is the story of the past that we tell the present. Because the past is infinitely vast and varied, we can only glimpse it through narrative. I love studying history because it allows me to peer through the stories that have been written and draw out the stories that have been forgotten.   
Grace George
’22
As a history major, I have the rare opportunity not only to learn about real people and events in the past, but also to gain the critical thinking skills to be able to apply that knowledge to the present to work toward a brighter future.  
Lauren Anthony
’22
I love studying history because it allows me the opportunity to learn about the world by examining the experiences of different people in various places, all while making me a better communicator and global citizen. 
Hanan Abdellatif
’23
When people ask why I love history, I tell them it is because I get to tell stories from the vault of time—stories filled with intrigue, suspense, and rich detail. A history student learns how to craft a narrative of a time that fills our listeners with amazement of the past. 
Jay Singh
’23