Read the full story: OPINION: Colin Rose discusses the papal conclave’s history – The Brock News
Colin Rose illuminates how new popes are chosen
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News
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History Department celebrates student achievements for 2024-25
On April 8, 2025, the History Department celebrated our students’ successes throughout the 2024-25 academic year.
An enthusiastic crowd of family and friends gathered at the St. Catharines Public Library for the official launch of the tenth volume of The General, Brock’s undergraduate History journal.
The audience heard riveting presentations from student co-editors Alessia Priolo and Jarred Polege and the authors of the nine essays published in the volume, which highlighted the range and quality of Brock History students’ work.
The General showcases outstanding student research, offers a half-credit of History coursework for its two co-editors, and brings many other students into the publication process as volunteer peer reviewers. It also hosts a competition for cover art.
Volume 10 can be found here.
We also celebrated our students with the presentation of several merit-based monetary awards. The recipients are exceptional students who have displayed the dedication, hard work, skill, and talent needed to succeed in Humanities education, and the History Department is thrilled to recognize the fruits of their labour.
The award winners are:
Donald Goodspeed Book Prize
Awarded to a History student who has made a significant contribution to the History Department
Sarah SkoludJohn and Barbara McEwen Prize in British History
Awarded to a student who excels in British History at the second-, third-, or fourth-year level
Nikola DixonLillie A. Traver Scholarship
Awarded to a student with honours standing, majoring in History
Braeden MooreFrank and Amy Wills Memorial Award
Awarded to a History student who has demonstrated superior creativity and thoroughness in research presented in the History
Alessia CoticDepartment of History First Year Book Prize
Awarded to an outstanding History student in first year
Ben SpittalDepartment of History Second Year Book Prize
Awarded to an outstanding History student in second year
Thomas TselepakisDepartment of History Third Year Book Prize
Awarded to an outstanding History student in third year
Evan (Vanja) HamisterCategories: News -
MA student Lauren Berry wins Jack M. Miller Excellence in Research Award
The History Department is delighted to announce that History MA student Lauren Berry was one of ten graduate students from across six Brock Faculties and Colleges to receive the Jack M. Miller Excellence in Research Award.
The awards were presented at the 20th annual Mapping New Knowledges (MNK) Research Conference, held at Brock on April 9, 2025.
Lauren’s research focuses on the moral panic about stage actresses that swept Britain in the eighteenth century.
Congratulations, Lauren, on this well-deserved honour!
History MA student Lauren Berry (5th from right) accepts her Excellence in Research Award, April 2025
Read the full story: Recognizing grad student research with reach – The Brock News
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Andrew McDonald contributes Sea Kings scholarship for stamp series
Brock History professor Andrew McDonalds collaborates in creating a series of Isle of Man stamps commemorating the fascinating world of the medieval Sea Kings.
Read the full story: The Age of the Sea Kings – Isle of Man Post Office
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Kimberly Monk highlights maritime heritage at local fair
St. Catharines Standard, March 3, 2025—Fonthill was the epicentre of where geology and culture met in Niagara for the inaugural “You See ’Em Museum” event, held Sunday at Meridian Community Centre.
“From a family perspective, it’s to raise awareness of the cultural heritage we have in Niagara and to see things that are tangible,” said event organizer Darren Platakis, founder of Niagara Geo Park and co-leader of Niagara Geo Club.
Platakis celebrated it as an “intersection of where geology and culture come together,” highlighting Niagara’s history.
“Many vendors or participants, they’re showing archeological artifacts that have been found, the geo park is showing the geology of the area and for the visitors coming around … we’re putting that story together for them,” he said.
“Niagara as an area is culturally significant, not just for the 200 years (since) the War of 1812, but for the 12,000 years previous to that, when we had the first Indigenous communities living here.”
Platakis said events like this are important for many reasons as they tell the story of the region, both through evidence and shared oral histories.
“They’re about the stories, everyone who lives in the geo park has a story of alocation they might have gone to,” he said. “Those stories and locations, over time, disappear and I’m hopeful events such as this bring those stories to the forefront.”
Maritime history and Niagara’s connection to it were highlighted during Sunday’s event.
The Point Abino Lighthouse Preservation Society, a volunteer group, offered its perspective of Niagara’s maritime history.
Society president Alf Goodearle praised “You See ’Em Museum.” “This is a tremendous opportunity, tucked away in the corner of the Niagara region. The lighthouse gets limited exposure,” he said. “We’re using this event to sell our society on trying to recruit some new volunteers.”
Goodearle said to preserve the region’s heritage, the organization relies on donations and volunteers.
Kimberly Monk, adjunct professor at Brock University and director of the Shickluna Shipyard project, said connecting with the public on local maritime history is rewarding.
“As archeologists, historians, members of the museum community, we are all very aware, clearly, of our past, but many others not in professional fields … may not be,” she said.
“We want to connect the public with the importance and significance of our histories to engage on why this work is so important and why it deserves to be recognized.” The importance of Niagara’s history cannot be overestimated, Monk said. “We hope the municipalities and the region appreciate that, as we look toward celebrating the Welland Canal’s bicentennial and supporting, of course, historical and archeological programs and projects relating to that history.”
Monk said a rare aspect of the project unearthing the St. Catharines shipbuilder’s story is talking about local maritime history. Many marine sites no longer exist or“ they are obscured from the public because they are submerged.”
“The opportunity to share in our maritime past, a past that had everything to do with the settlement, with economic development of the Niagara region, is so crucial to appreciating those who came before us,” she said.
The event, originally slated for Family Day weekend, had to be rescheduled due to inclement weather.
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Elizabeth Vlossak offers first-ever Taylor Swift history course
CP24 News, March 21, 2025—A weeks-long history course about Taylor Swift filled up in just a matter of minutes, making a record for the Ontario university similar to how the musician herself breaks records for her stadium shows.
“It’s filled up in 19 minutes. It was a record,” Elizabeth Vlossack, historian-turned-Swiftie at Brock University, told CTV News Toronto.
The associate professor of history explained she started to recognize Swift as more than just a popstar a couple of years ago after listening to “folklore”—an album where Swift deviates from singing solely about her life to delving into the lives of others
Read the full story: https://www.cp24.com/news/2025/03/21/whats-a-swift-history-an-ontario-professor-shares-what-students-will-learn-in-a-taylor-swift-history-course/
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Murray Wickett tells all about Spring 2025 sport history course
Read the full story: Spring/Summer courses dive into sports industry – The Brock News
Register for our spring course offerings: Register for spring/summer classes – Admissions @ Brock
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Tami Friedman considers challenge of Black history in small-town Niagara
Read the full story: Finding the faces of Black History in Thorold is not easy.
Read the full story: Finding the traces of Black history in Pelham is not easy
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History grad and Brock’s oldest alum passes at 100
The History Department extends heartfelt condolences to the family of the redoubtable Robin Guard, oldest- ever graduate, on February 15, 2025. Guard earned his Master of Arts degree in History in 2017 at the age of 93. We shall miss him.
https://brocku.ca/brock-news/2017/06/standing-ovation-for-brocks-oldest-ever-graduate/
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