Lebanon Valley College Announces Creation of Center for Political History

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Dr. James Broussard, professor of history, will serve as the director of the Center for Political History.

ANNVILLE, PA (07/20/2016)(readMedia)-- Lebanon Valley College today announced the creation of its Center for Political History, the first of its kind in the United States.

This center will provide a variety of benefits for students, faculty, and area high school teachers. It will encourage increased interdisciplinary cooperation among LVC academic departments, while helping high school social studies and advanced placement teachers keep up with changing interpretations of American political history.

Programming at the center begins this fall. It will include guest scholars coming to campus to speak, an annual national book prize to encourage the writing of political history, and a one-day summer seminar for high school teachers.

Dr. James Broussard, professor of history, will serve as the director of the center. Broussard has published books on the history of the Federalist Party after 1800 and a biography of Ronald Reagan. His current work involves a political history of Texas and a short overview of "Parties and Politics in the Early Republic."

"I am honored to serve as the inaugural director of the first Center for Political History in our nation," Broussard said. "In the midst of the summer political conventions for our two major parties and the fall campaign to follow, there is no better time to facilitate a discussion regarding our country's history of political dialogue and discourse."

As the director, Broussard plans to create an informal Association of American Political Historians to encourage professional activity in that field and expand the center's reach among historians and political scientists nationwide.

Expanding the availability of internships and other high-impact experiences for students is one of the primary goals of the center. Current students can spend a semester studying in Washington, D.C., while interning at The Washington Center. Numerous other students gain internship experience in nearby Harrisburg at the state capitol.

Additional LVC faculty affiliated with the center include: Dr. John Hinshaw, professor of history; Dr. Philip Benesch, associate professor of politics and faculty director of external scholarships and fellowships; Dr. Chris Dolan, professor of politics and director of global studies; and Dr. Noel Hubler, professor of philosophy.

The College's Department of History, Politics & Global Studies offers bachelor's degrees in applied history, history, global studies, and politics. Each program combines a rigorous academic experience with many exciting opportunities to engage in hands-on learning beyond the classroom. Many of the department's graduates go on to earn advanced degrees, including at such prestigious schools as Georgetown University, Northeastern University, and The New School in New York City.

About Lebanon Valley College

Lebanon Valley College is a private, coeducational college founded in 1866 and dedicated to the liberal arts. The College offers 40 undergraduate majors plus self-designed majors and a range of minors, concentrations, and pre-professional options, as well as graduate degree programs in athletic training, business administration, music education, physical therapy, science education, and speech-language pathology.

The College has 1,608 full-time undergraduate students and 108 full-time faculty. Students can choose from more than 90 clubs and organizations, and 12 study abroad programs. LVC awards generous academic scholarships to those whose high school records demonstrate a commitment to challenge and achievement.