Undergraduate Student Opportunities & Resources

The department offers internships, study abroad programs, funding and other resources to make the undergraduate experience as productive, supportive and enjoyable as possible.

 

Internships

Washington, D.C., is consistently ranked among the best cities in the United States to pursue college internships. History majors and minors have interned at established historical institutions across the D.C./Maryland/Virginia area.

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Past Internship Sites

• American Battlefield Trust
• American Enterprise Institute
• Anderson House
• Consource: The Constitutional Sources Project
• Dumbarton House
• GW’s Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project
• The George Washington University Museum and Textile Museum
• George Washington's Mount Vernon
• Heurich House Museum
• Hillyer Art Space
• NASA History Program
• National History Center
• National Law Enforcement Museum
• National Parks Service
• GW's National Security Archive
• Naval History and Heritage Command
• Smithsonian Institution
• Tudor Place Historic House and Gardens
• U.S. Congress
• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
• Wilson Center

Completing Internships for Credit

Students whose internships involve historical research may be eligible to earn credits for their work (HIST 3095). 

1. Find an internship. The department frequently posts announcements from GW-affiliated centers and approved research institutes outside the main office. The GW Center for Career Services also offers guidance to students looking for internships.
2. Identify a faculty supervisor. The supervisor will help formulate an individual plan of study and meet with the student regularly throughout the semester. The academic requirements will be determined by the faculty advisor on an individual basis, taking into account the nature of the internship and the sponsor’s own scholarly interests.
3. Write a plan of study. The plan of study must be equivalent to a normal credit course in the discipline. For example, for three credits, a student might be required to master a certain bibliography and write a 15–20-page paper. For six credits, a more comprehensive bibliography and several types of written work or research projects would be appropriate. The plan of study, signed by the faculty sponsor, must be submitted to the internship coordinator before you can register for HIST 3095.
4. Register for HIST 3095. A faculty supervisor must sign a Registration Transaction Form and submit it to Student Services Hub.
5. Complete internship and evaluation. During the fall or spring semester, students must work at least 8–10 hours per week for three credits. The work hours are doubled for the five-week summer sessions. Make sure the internship supervisor submits a formal letter or email at the end of the semester stating that you have satisfactorily completed the internship.

Hours, Grades and Evaluations

Students may take HIST 3095 for a letter grade or Pass/No Pass. Your faculty supervisor will determine your final grade based upon the academic work you complete. That evaluation will be reviewed by the departmental internship coordinator, Steven Brady. This evaluation normally will not affect the academic grade given by the faculty sponsor unless the internship has been judged unsatisfactory.

HIST 3095 may be repeated for a total of six hours, but only three hours will be counted toward the major.

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Study Abroad and Transfer Credit

Many history students take courses abroad and transfer the credits to GW. Unless the class in question has been previously approved by the History Department, students must submit classes taken abroad for approval. To do so, follow the instructions on the Office for Study Abroad website.

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Scholarships and Prizes

Charles Herber Annual Scholarship

Supported by alumnus Ron Denham (BA ’67), the Charles Herber Annual Scholarship is awarded to one undergraduate history major each year to alleviate financial strain and help student pursue their academic interests in the History Department. Preference is given to students who are the first in their families to attend college. 

The award is named in honor of Charles Herber, emeritus professor of history and international affairs, who has instilled lifelong learning in countless students and dedicated years of his career to the History Department.

At the graduate level, the department also offers the Charles Herber Teaching Prize.

Jesse Fant Evans Prize

Awarded annually to an outstanding senior student in a contemporary history course, the Jesse Fant Evans Prize recognizes excellence in contemporary history. The prize funding was a bequest of Joshua Evans Jr. in 1971, recognizing his wife's distinguished service to the university as the first woman member of the Board of Trustees.

Past Winners

2020: Aubrianna Mierow
2019: Margaret Kritzberg, Caterina Liberace, Niveditha Senthivel, and Isabel Wolfer
2018: Zachary Sanders and Margaret Swanson
2017: Emily Scott, Timothy Kirk, and Zoe Goldstein
2016: Madeline Crispell, Robert Hansen, Emily Niekrasz, and Jennifer Sherman.
2015: Emma Bilski and Franklyn Lyons
2014: Andrew Kaiser Vincent Nordin
2013: Brandon Neuman, John Field Simms Stiff, Nikolas Youngsmith
2012: Carly Gibbs, Katherine Carper, Bhaskar Sunkara
2011: Stefanie Fischer
2010: Warner Butkus, Christopher Colley, Anne E. Dobberteen
2009: Benjamin Schuman-Stoler and Erica Selig
2008: Jason Antin and Nathan Madson

Gardiner G. Hubbard Memorial Prize

Honoring undergraduate excellence in American history, the Gardiner G. Hubbard Memorial Prize is given annually to the graduating history major who has maintained the highest standing in U.S. history. The award was established by Gertrude M. Hubbard in memory of her husband.

Past Winners

2020: Jack Nassetta and Elizabeth (Betsy) Sheppard
2019: Annabel LaBrecque and Brian Brew
2018: Amanda Urban
2017: Adam Bieniek, Rodolfo Martinez-Don, and Addie Weingard
2016: Nicholas Holy, Matthew Maresca, and Edward Rickford
2015: Kathryn Harris
2014: Peter Fishkind and Kaily Studnicka
2013: Gabriella Angeloni and Kevin Doré
2012: Zachary Rice
2011: Tayler Lofquist
2010: Zachary L. Baum, Ilana Goldfus, Tayler Lofquist
2009: William C. Flanigen and Benjamin Lookner
2008: Alice Huling, Ryan Tepperman, Eric T. Phillips

Thomas F. Walsh Prize

Established in 1901, the Thomas Walsh Prize is awarded annually to the student who submits the best essay in Irish history.

Past Winners

2020: Lily Kondrich and Meaghan Walsh
2019: Samuel Tiratto
2018: Daniel Burke and Teddy Clamp
2016: Ross Berry and Caley Donovan
2015: Connor Woods and Caitlyn Borghi
2014: Jack Michael Beecher and Katelyn Levalley
2012: Tyler Calnon
2011: Peter Horan, Hope McCaffrey and Catie Carper
2009: Molly Curtis and Richard England

Deixler/Swain Prize

This prize is awarded annually to the best undergraduate thesis.

Past Winners

2020 Winners
Honors Thesis, American History topic: Angela Baker, Ronni Farid, Aubrianna Mierow, and Camille Noel
Honors Thesis, non-American History topic: Kevin Hitchings, John Miller, and Jack Nassetta
Senior Thesis, American History Topic: Carley Christerson
Senior Thesis, non-American History Topic: Hannah Humphrey

2019 Winners
Honors Thesis, American History topic: Melissa Melvin and Quinton Weinstein
Honors Thesis, non-American History topic: Margaret Kritzberg

2018 Winners
Honors Thesis, American History topic: Noah Duell, Zachary Sanders, Isaac Strauss, and Elliot Warren
Honors Thesis, non-American History topic: Veronica LaDu, Margaret McCool, and Samuel Pfister
Non-Traditional Capstone Project: Samuel Nohra
Senior Thesis, American History Topic: Samantha Clark and Hope Grossman
Senior Thesis, non-American History Topic: Mary Horn

2017 Winners
Honors Thesis, American History topic: Tim Hartwell and Brian Wivell
Honors Thesis, non-American History topic: Joseph Albanese, Zoe Goldstein, Kate Hollenkamp, and David Seibel
Non-Traditional Capstone Project: Daniel Howlett
Senior Thesis, American History Topic: Emma Atwood, Ethan Cain, Daniel Howlett, and Conor Patrick
Senior Thesis, non-American History Topic: Abigail Austin and Amanda Lam
 
2016 Winners
Honors Thesis, American History topic: Olivia Franklin and Robert Wasserstein
Honors Thesis, non-American History topic: Caroline Sandri
Senior Thesis, American History Topic: Charlotte Prenn and Farieha Shah
 
2015 Winners
Honors Thesis, American History topic: Joseph (“Joey”) Hoffman, Haley Aubuchon
Honors Honors Thesis, American History topic: Benjamin Joel Staton and Taylor Soja
Senior Thesis, American History Topic: Colleen Teubner
Senior Thesis, non-American History topic: Robin Pokorkski, Andrew Kaiser
 
2014 Winners
Honors Thesis, American History topic: Kerry Lanzo
Honors Thesis, American History topic: Benjamin Joel Staton and Taylor Soja
Senior Thesis, American History Topic: Rachel McBrayer, Aria Mildice, Edward Rickford, Catriona Schwartz, Jordan Stephen, Kara Yenkevich
Senior Thesis, non-American History topic: Sarah Maserang
 
2013 Winners
Honors Thesis, American History topic: Kevin Doré, Elizabeth Rosenwasser
Honors Thesis, American History topic: Michael Wang
Senior Thesis, American History Topic: Sophia Panayotou, Komal Thakkar
Senior Thesis, non-American History topic: Christina Longofono
 
2012 Winners
Honors Thesis, American History topic: Rachel Barker, Zachary D. Rice, Aly Seeberger
Honors Thesis, American History topic: Peter Horan, Madeline Lazer
Senior Thesis: Christine Sisto
 
2011 Winners
Honors Thesis, American History topic: Tayler Lofquist
Honors Thesis, American History topic: Robin Janofsky
Senior Thesis, American History Topic: Kate Hardwick, Will Ricketson, and Danielle Desaulniers
Senior Thesis, non-American History topic: Kendra McCormick
 
2010 Winner
Swetha Ramaswamy

Charles Clinton Swisher Historical Club Prize

This prize is awarded annually to the best essay in medieval history.

Past Winners

2020: Ian Kavanaugh and Abigail Merker

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GW Financial and Academic Resources

Student Financial Assistance

Look for scholarships, Federal Work-Study positions, military benefits and other funding assistance.

Academic Commons

Book peer tutoring or review sessions, research and writing help, step-by-step study strategies, language support and more.

Center for Career Services

Take advantage of career and job search coaching, self-assessment services, résumé development, networking and more. (Services offered to students and alumni.)

Undergraduate Advising

Get assistance from your Columbian College academic advisor to navigate declaring a major or minor and other academic support.

Undergraduate Research Award

Apply for this $5,000 research award, open to first-years, sophomores and juniors.

Course Approval Transfer System

Submit your requests for course approval here if you've taken courses abroad or at another domestic institute.