Our alumni work in a wide variety of careers fields. Amongst their ranks are state department personnel, federal government historians, law enforcement personnel, those doing research for advertising firms, K-12 educators, museum and archives professionals, finance wizards, attorneys, national park rangers- you name it! They truly prove that the sky is the limit with a degree in History and Anthropology. Here are just a few of their stories.
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Jamie Ancheta currently works as a Project Archaeologist for Open Range Archaeology, LLC
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Gabrielle Antonelli is a student at the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
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George M. Alznauer, ’65, is President of George M. Alznauer and Associates, Inc., Fernandina Beach, Florida which offers a wide range of professional services including corporate security consultations, civil and criminal investigations, and training. He was also the co-founder and Executive Managing Director of the Glover Group LLC, Amelia Island, Florida. Mr. Alznauer, a former member of the government’s Federal Senior Executive Service (SES 4), was a career law enforcement officer with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for over 28 years. During his tenure, he served in numerous investigative and administrative assignments and traveled worldwide. He culminated his career as the FBI’s representative to the Central Intelligence Agency in all International Terrorism Matters. In that capacity, he served as the Deputy Chief of the Director of Central Intelligence’s (DCI’s) Counterterrorist Center.
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Thomas Andrykovitz, Esquire, serves as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Cathy L. Waldor, U.S.M.J., United States District Court, New Jersey.
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Amanda Avci is Senior Advisor Transfer Student Specialist at The New School.
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Kimberley Boland is a Special education teacher in Old Bridge.
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Josh Bruno is working with Americorps’ non-profit fund, College Possible. Josh is an advocate and college coach for low-income students in Philadelphia who either can’t or don’t know how to navigate the middle and upper-class privilege world of higher education.
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Brian Callahan completed his Ph.D. at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and is now teaching there as a Lecturer in Information Technology & Web Science.
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Kathryn Calt is teaching preschool in Monmouth County.
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Meredith Cohen is a Judicial Law Clerk at Superior Court of New Jersey. She received her law degree from Brooklyn Law School in 2018.
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Jessica Collo is studying law at Drexel University’s Thomas R. Kline School of Law in Philadelphia.
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Kathleen Crippen is currently working as a Technical documentation editor/writer at Educational Testing Service.
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Lindsay Currie, a 2005 graduate, majored in history and political science with a minor in gender studies. She has recently been selected as the Executive Officer for the Council on Undergraduate Research in Washington, DC. Lindsay recently co-authored a chapter on undergraduate writing titled, “The Practice of Undergraduate Research and Mentoring Student Writing.”
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Mollie Dunnigan is an ESL and In-Class Support Teacher.
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Adam Evans teaches history at Monmouth Regional High School.
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Ken Foulks (’89 B.A., ’07 M.A.) is the Director of Field Programs and Historical Support for the U.S. Army Center of Military History (Fort McNair, DC).
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Jake Frederick is currently teaching English to schoolchildren in China.
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Michael J. Gall, is a Senior Archaeologist at Richard Grubb & Associates, Inc., a cultural resource management firm in Cranbury, New Jersey and serves as an Adjunct Professor in the History and Anthropology Department at Monmouth University. He earned B.A.s in History and Anthropology, and later received an M.A. in History from Monmouth University. He is an executive board member of the Archaeological Society of New Jersey, is a member of the Register of Professional Archaeologists, and has worked as a professional archaeologist since 1998. His research foci include: farmstead, landscape, and early industrial archaeology in the Middle Atlantic and Northeast regions; settlement patterns; and regional cultural development. Michael actively engages in publishing his research and presenting data in public forums. He is the author of the recently published article, “An Earthly Tabernacle: English Land Use and Town Planning in Seventeenth-Century Woodbridge, New Jersey”, featured in Northeast Historical Archaeology. He has also received an advanced contract for a co-edited book with Richard Veit, Ph.D. titled, Seated at the Same Table: Archaeologies of African-American Life in the Upper Mid-Atlantic.
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Norma Jean Garriton graduated from Monmouth University in 2008 with a B.A. in history and minors in archaeology and anthropology. After graduating from Monmouth, Norma Jean earned an M.A. in public history and archival studies from New York University. She characterizes her resume to date as “diverse.” While pursuing her undergraduate degree, she worked for the New Jersey legal system, conducting research for pro se litigants and providing court tours of the historic Monmouth County Courthouse. She also interned at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in NYC, teaching Holocaust and Jewish studies to students. It was there that she discovered her passion for museums. While pursuing her Masters, Norma Jean earned a job at the Intrepid Air, Sea, and Space Museum in NYC. Working in their education department, she developed curriculum and taught visiting students. She later became the Assistant to the SVP of Exhibits and the exhibit coordinator. Eventually, though, Norma Jean accepted a job with a Fortune 500 company. She shared, “I’ve been working towards the global insights division, which studies consumers both domestically and abroad to make decisions about why people buy goods. It’s an opportunity to study historical trends, make educated decisions about society based on the study of our consumer culture and translate those studies into business strategies.”
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Rachael Goldberg serves as the Collections Manager for Liberty Hall Museum, Inc.
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Poul Erik Graversen is a Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA) who has a Masters degree from Monmouth University and is currently writing his dissertation at the University of Leicester in England. Mr. Graversen is also a historical archaeologist with the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), based at the Pearl Harbor Naval Station in Honolulu, Hawaii. He works with teams of other professional archaeologists, historians, analysts, and military personnel in the investigation and recovery of lost American soldiers (MIAs) throughout the world from World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam. Their mission and the mission of JPAC is to repatriate these fallen soldiers and bring home their remains to be buried in an American military cemetery or in a family plot. Last summer, Mr. Graversen traveled to the South Pacific island of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands to identify archaeological sites where MIAs will likely be found; and to assist with the recovery of missing naval personnel and Marines. This summer he is working in Germany and Belgium to identify more archaeological sites and recover MIAs from the United States Army and Army Air Force.
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Alum Tom Greene graduated from Monmouth University in 2004. He majored in communications and minored in history. Tom currently works for Gannett newspapers as a news editor in their Neptune Design Studio. Prior to that, he spent over seven years as an editor and writer for the Asbury Park Press and Gannett New Jersey newspapers. Tom shared, “Although I majored in communication, I have often utilized what I learned in my history classes to help me throughout my career. Having a good knowledge of both American and world history have given me a basis from which to refer and draw upon as a journalist, and classes such as oral history which I took helped hone and improve my interviewing skills which are vital to a journalist’s success. My advice to current history students would be to learn as much as you can and do not limit yourself as far as what history courses you take because you may never know where you’ll find your niche.”
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Janet Houlton is a Special education history teacher.
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Ramsey Ismail is pursing a Ph.D. at the University of California – San Diego.
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Megan Kleeschulte is pursing a Masters Degree in Biological Anthropology at the University of Tennessee.
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John Kline is a high school teacher.
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Glenn W. LeBoeuf is a financial planner who also tours the country speaking publically on historical topics. He specializes in the life of Abraham Lincoln, recently addressing 200 attorneys of the NJ BAR Association on the legal practice of Abraham Lincoln from 1837-1860. Glenn worked on the films Glory and Gettysburg in the 90s and put on the largest civil war reenactment ever staged in 1998, with over 22,000 re-enactors. You can visit his website at www.lethistorylive.net. Of his time at Monmouth University, Glenn shares, “I miss the great relationships with the [History and Anthropology] department when almost everyone knew your name. I have often used the insights of Dr. Kim, Dr. Barto, Dr. Rigberg, Dr. Dooley and the one instructor who led me to love history, Ms Pelosi in her Western civilization class in 1972.”
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Dominic Longo is a Professor of History at Brookdale Community College.
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Bianca Lucarini (M.A., Anthropology, 2020) is currently a Skincare Research and Innovation Scientist at L’Oréal Cosmetics.
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Samantha Luft serves as the Interim Director of the William Trent House Museum.
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Sean McDonald is an adjunct professor in the Brookdale Dual Enrollment program at a high school.
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Dr. Eric Menell is a Social Studies Teacher, Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools.
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Henry D. Mercer, III is President and Chief Investment Strategist of Mercer Capital Advisers, Inc., which he founded in 1999. Mr. Mercer began his investment career in 1979 at Tucker, Anthony & R.L. Day, Inc. in New York. Prior to the formation of Mercer Capital, he was President of Mercer, Bokert, Buckman, and Reid, Inc., where he managed the firm’s investment advisory division and edited an investment strategy newsletter, The Mercer Report. Mr. Mercer also authors Mercer Capital’s quarterly investment strategy commentary and has been quoted in trade publications such as Barron’s, Forbes, and Fortune. He became Chair of the Board of Trustees of Monmouth University effective July 1, 2014.
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Suzanne Moore earned a B.A. in Secondary Education and History in 2007, winning the “Outstanding Scholar in History” award. She followed up with her M.A. in 2009, after defending her thesis on Joseph Bonaparte and his relationship with the United States both before and during his residency here in New Jersey. Suzanne is now an adjunct professor of history at Brookdale Community College, where she teaches both World Civilizations I and II. She is also a seasonal park ranger of interpretation at historic Fort Hancock (Sandy Hook), giving interpretive tours of the Sandy Hook Lighthouse and History House. In her spare time, she finds more history to see and study when she travels to Europe.
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Katherine Ambry Linhein Muller received her graduate degree in Anthropology from Monmouth University in 2013. She currently works as the Volunteer Coordinator at The Historic Village at Allaire, a living history museum in Farmingdale, NJ. Katherine first started at Allaire by volunteering as the blacksmith, making iron reproductions for use in the historic town. While at Monmouth, she did her master’s research on living history museums and the roles that hands-on activities such as blacksmithing play in teaching about the past. She has conducted research on blacksmithing and industrial archaeology in America and Denmark. Katherine reports that her favorite part of Monmouth University was “the close intellectual relationship she had with her professors, who were supportive and at the same time a great foil for her research.” Her advice to current students seeking a job is to constantly network through internships and to volunteer with different organizations.
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Jesse Nokes is a Ranger for the National Park Service.
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Felicia Norott is the Assistant Dean in the Undergraduate program of the Rutgers Business School
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Kat O’Connor earned her M.A. from the Department in 2008. She currently teaches history at the Ranney School in Tinton Falls, NJ. When asked about her time at Monmouth, Kat said, “I miss the camaraderie and communication of the grad school students, and constantly reading GOOD books. I am really grateful for the connections I’ve kept up since graduating, with both professors and fellows students.”
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Timothy O’Shea is currently working for Teach for America.
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Rick Pachman earned a B.A. in Secondary Education and History in 2005. He then received his M.A. in 2009, specializing in 19th century German history and World History. Rick is currently employed as an immigration paralegal with Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP, a law firm that specializes in immigration services. He finds his background in history extremely useful at work, since he does a great deal of writing in his profession. His time at Monmouth taught him dedication in working towards your goals. It also helped make him a stronger writer, able to adapt his writing style to meet the different needs of the firm where he works. Rick says that he still misses being in an academic environment and talking history all day with other graduate students. One piece of advice Rick offers to current history students is to take advantage of the resources that Monmouth has to offer – the library, professors who can help improve your writing, and other students who offer fresh insights on ideas learned in class.
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Chrissie Reilly defended her Master’s thesis in May 2009, focusing on the impact of World War II and the postwar occupation period on food consumption and identity in Japan. She specializes in culinary movements in modern Japan for her doctoral studies at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. As a former staff historian for the U.S. Army CECOM and current staff historian for the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency, Chrissie most enjoys the public history aspects of the job. She has managed history blogs and social media, and writes articles for Army newspapers. She leads oral history programs, assists researchers, and writes monographs. Wearing many hats ensures she never gets bored. Chrissie’s most vivid memories of Monmouth University are from her first semester in Dr. Campbell’s great writings in history class. It was reading G.W.F. Hegel’s “Philosophy of History” that helped her realize the importance of how we think about the past and how that impacts our own lives. She recognizes the positive influence that the Department of History and Anthropology had on her academic and personal development. Dr. Derosa’s encouragement to get involved in academic conferences, Dr. Parkin’s influence in conducting thorough and proper research, and Dr. Ansell’s instruction in how to write a literature review have turned Chrissie into a professional historian.
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Wendy Rejan completed graduate work at Monmouth University between 2002-2004, graduating with a Master’s degree in European History. She wrote her thesis on surrealist art and literature. Wendy is currently serving as a Foreign Service Officer (Diplomat) at the U.S. Consulate General in Tijuana where she is doing consular work in the non-immigrant visa department. She served her first assignment with the Department of State as a Political Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Nassau, The Bahamas. Prior to joining the Foreign Service she served 8 years civil service at the U.S. Army CECOM at Fort Monmouth working as a historian, public affairs officer, and technical writer. She is the author of two publicly available books on Army communications history. Her favorite memories of Monmouth University include Dr. Stunkel’s history of science class, which she took in the middle of a brutal NJ winter, trudging home in the snow at 10 p.m. after working a full day– which in turn reminds her of a great coffee stand in Bey Hall and chocolate covered coffee beans that kept her going all day and night. She also has great memories of Dr. Veit’s archeology field school, digging up Thomas Edison’s Menlo Park laboratory; and Dr. Campbell’s summer British history class. Most of all she fondly remembers the lovely campus and what a beautiful, peaceful place it was to study for two years under excellent professors. Her best advice for students is something a wise person once told her: find out what you love to do and then figure out a way to get paid for it!
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Melissa Sedlacik is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at the University of South Florida. She is also employed as an Emergency Management Specialist/Field Analytics Coordination Team Member with FEMA.
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Jared Slaweski is Social studies teacher at Jackson Memorial High School
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Emily Grace Smith is currently a graduate student at New York University studying gender representations in grave goods from the Old Kingdom within the Ancient Near Eastern and Egyptian Studies Program.
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Tara Quigley Stewart is a Middle School Social Studies Teacher.
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Raymond Torres is working as a Senior Paralegal.
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Nicholas Triozzi is currently a Ph.D. student at Penn State. He previously worked as a GIS specialist at the American Museum of Natural History.
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Hailey Velleca is a Special Education history teacher.