Opportunities

Discimus ut Serviamus: We learn so that we may serve.

— Queens College motto

HISTORY CLUB

The student-run History Club promotes history-related events, movie nights, museum visits, and field trips. In Fall 2023, the History Club is currently being relaunched! The current officers are Sephora Baksh (president), Radwa Elsayed (vice-president), and Brae Clark (treasurer.) They already have planned some exciting activities, including movies and museum visits!

 If you are interested in joining the History Club (or just being added to the email list), please either contact the faculty advisor, Dr. Andrew Amstutz, at andrew.amstutz@qc.cuny.edu or add your name and email to the list using this link.

HISTORY HONOR SOCIETY

Phi Alpha Theta is a nationally recognized honor society for history majors.

Those who are eligible for membership participate in an active community that encourages historical learning and teaching for students and instructors alike. Awards and prizes are given to members who display excellent scholarship in the field of history.

Requirements for membership:

  • a minimum overall GPA of 3.0

  • Undergraduate students must complete a minimum of 12 semester hours (4 courses) in History, earned in the classroom, online or through AP or transfer credits (or a combination thereof).

  • a minimum history GPA of 3.1, and specifically:

  • no grade lower than B- and at least one grade of A- and above in history courses

Each candidate is subject to review by the Faculty Advisor.

Applications are accepted throughout the Fall and Spring semesters. The official initiation ceremony takes place at the end of the Spring semester at the History department banquet.

Phi Alpha Theta is currently accepting applications. Applications should be submitted electronically to Dr. Andrew Amstutz at andrew.amstutz@qc.cuny.edu. You will be notified by e-mail of your acceptance.

For further information and to download the application form, please click here.

HONORS IN SOCIAL SCIENCES

Ambitious history majors may consider applying for a minor in Honors in Social Sciences. Click here for more details on how the program works and how to apply.

FRANCO PRIZE

Thanks to a generous donation by alumnus Arnold Franco (class of 1943), the History Department at Queens College is able to award an annual prize in his name to the best example of historical writing by a student for a given academic year.

The requirements for a paper to be considered are few: 1) it must be submitted to the chair of the department by October 1, and 2) it must have been originally written as part of a History class at the college in the prior fall or spring semesters.  Revised and edited versions of course papers are permissible and are, in fact, encouraged.  There are no length requirements, and students may submit more than one paper.  Both majors and non-majors are eligible, as are Master’s students.

Winning paper(s) are selected by a committee of faculty members in the History Department.  In order to receive the award, the student is required to attend a luncheon in his/her honor, which usually takes place in late October or early November.

ABOUT ARNOLD FRANCO:

Arnold Franco graduated from Queens College in 1943 in the midst of World War II. Owing to his expertise in languages, he was chosen to serve in a code-breaking division of U.S. military intelligence in England during the height of the war.  He was later stationed in Paris following its liberation and continued his work in radio communications for the military (at a time when the Eiffel Tower itself was put into service as an antenna!). Mr. Franco has written a book about his experiences in the War titled Code to Victory: Coming of Age in WWII, which is available in the Queens College library.

Back from Europe, Mr. Franco built a successful business in Manhattan, but he didn’t forget his alma mater in Queens. In addition to establishing the fund from which this prize is drawn, he has supported various other initiatives that engage History students in active research.  For example in 2006, he commissioned the research, design, and construction for a memorial to Queens College students who died in World War II, which now stands at the base of the flagpole at the top of the quad, overlooking the same stunning view of the city that he used to admire as a student.

BEBERFALL LAW SCHOLARSHIP

The Beberfall Law School Scholarship awards between $250 and $500 to a graduating student, in any major, who shows great promise in pursuing a legal career. To qualify for the scholarship, students must have been already accepted to, and agreed to attend, an ABA-‐approved law school in the coming fall.

All application materials, including the completed form and an approximately 1000-word personal statement, should be sent to the Chair of the History Department, Powdermaker 352 by mid-Spring semester (inquire at that address for the exact deadline).

Visit the QC Scholarships and Awards portal for more information about Beberfall Law School Scholarships. Application forms can also be obtained in the History Dept (Powdermaker 352) and the Political Science Dept (Powdermaker 200).

MARK SIMON SCHOLARSHIP

A Mark Simon Scholarship has been created to honor the memory of Mark Simon by rewarding an academically successful sophomore or junior who has had to face significant difficulties (e,g. economic, medical, physical, political) in achieving academic success.

To apply, fill out the Mark Simon Scholarship Application Form. Completed applications should be e-mailed to Professor Sarah Covington (sarah.covington@qc.cuny.edu) by December 31, 2024.

COUNCIL OF UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

The Council on Undergraduate Research hosts a Registry for Undergraduate Researchers. The purpose of this registry is to facilitate matchmaking between undergraduates who have research experience and a desire to pursue an advanced degree with graduate schools seeking high quality students who are well prepared for research. 

If you are interested in pursuing graduate study in the fields of anthropology/archaeology, arts/humanities, biology, business, chemistry/biochemistry, economics, education, engineering, English and linguistics, environmental studies, geosciences, health professions, history, journalism and communications, mathematics/computer science, physics/astronomy, political science, psychology, social work and society, visit http://www.cur.org/ugreg/ to create an account and search through their database.

INTERNSHIPS

The History department offers HIST387, “Internship in History.” This course enables history majors to earn a maximum of three credit hours for a faculty-supervised internship directly related to history or the collection and preservation of historical materials. The course combines practical work with supervised, independent academic study.

Typically, an internship will involve work at a local archive, library, museum, historical site, or other appropriate organization. The purpose of the internship is to provide students with field experience working with historical materials. The student must devise a program of internship work in consultation with a faculty sponsor and a representative of the host organization. The student will prepare and present interim reports as well as a substantive final report as requested. Internship projects are subject to approval by the faculty sponsor. Only one internship can be counted towards fulfillment of the History major. Internships deadlines vary, but students should seek out and apply for suitable internships at least a semester in advance. The following organizations offer history-related opportunities.

Archives:

Museums:

Historic preservation, historical sites:

 Subject to approval by the department, college credit may also be arranged for internship opportunities in other fields that require the research skills fostered by a history major, such as government or the media.

 Government-related:

Publication and media: 

For further internship opportunities, consider the CUNY Cultural Corps. The City University of New York partners with New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs and The Rockefeller Foundation to run CUNY Cultural Corps, a program that creates opportunities for CUNY students to work in the City’s cultural sector.

For any questions regarding internships, please contact our Director of Internships Dr. Andrew Amstutz at andrew.amstutz@qc.cuny.edu.