At age eighteen or at age twenty-one, no one can possibly know the contours or range of the challenges, choices and opportunities he or she will face in a career or lifetime, and the study of history offers some of the best preparation in any undergraduate course of study for a meaningful life. The rigors of historical study prepare all who sincerely apply themselves to actively and thoughtfully engage the complexity of the world.
History really happens in two places.
One is the past, from which we get our documents and records. Students of history realize quickly that human experience is complex and often contradictory. We learn quickly to refuse simple explanations and are exhilarated by the chance to apply our intellects and sensibilities to difficult problems. We also learn the humility that comes with the realization that our best explanations are imperfect, and in this process we come closer to a definition of what it means to be a human being. This is what we do in the history department, and it is an intensely active process of intellectual inquiry.