Robin Nokes, History major, graduating May 2020, recipient of a History department Dan H. Eikenberry Scholarship in Spring 2020.

"The value of a history major, to me, comes in its incredible power to provide context for the world we live in today. In history courses, we get to learn about the past to find examples of people who faced similar situations to those that we grapple with everyday. We hear stories of suffering, but also stories of triumph; stories of humanity at its best and worst. We learn our place in the grand scheme of things, and ideally, we learn how to orient ourselves and to leave our own positive impact on the world as well. 

I am also proud of the in-depth research I have been able to accomplish as an undergraduate while working toward my history degree. I have been able to access historical documents firsthand through going to the IU archives on campus, as well as being able to communicate with museums and archives online. Having the skills to be able to ask for the right sources, and then to examine these primary manuscripts and to analyze them in a productive manner that adds to the larger historical conversation is an incredibly useful thing to know. In the world of fake news, being able to work efficiently with primary sources is a skill that cannot be undervalued."