Reynolds College Blog

RCASH sets new participation record in Education Abroad programs

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The Judith Enyeart Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (RCASH) continues its impressive participation in Missouri State University’s Education Abroad program.

For the 2024-25 academic year, RCASH led in both the number of participants and percentage of graduates who engage in study abroad.

According to a report issued by Education Abroad Director Elizabeth Strong, 188 RCASH students participated in education abroad programs during the 2024-25 academic year. That number is up from 177 during the previous year.

“This growth is reflected in the percentage of RCASH education abroad participants compared to RCASH graduates in the same academic year, which is 28.5%,” Strong said.

A total of 434 Missouri State students participated in education abroad programs during 2024-25.

In addition, of the 316 faculty-directed activities, 140 were led by RCASH faculty.

Panzer and Geibler named 2026 Education Abroad Faculty Fellows

Two RCASH faculty members have been named to the 2026 Education Abroad Faculty Fellow cohort. They are Associate Professor Dr. Sarah Panzer, from the Department of History, and Assistant Professor Dr. Robert Geibler, from the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

Other Missouri State faculty named to the cohort are Alison Alaimo (McQueary College of Health and Human Services), Mandy Benedict-Chambers (College of Education), Leslie Echols (McQueary College of Health and Human Services), Asif Ishtiaque (College of Natural and Applied Sciences), Nancy Kageyama (Darr College of Agriculture) and Kristen Thornton (College of Business).

RCASH schedules robust Education Abroad activity for 2026

RCASH Dean Shawn Wahl said he continues to be impressed by faculty engagement with Education Abroad.

“Their collaboration across academic areas to deliver impactful learning experiences for our students is inspiring,” he said. “This collaboration is the essence of Missouri State as the Public Affairs University.”

Several RCASH faculty have already scheduled Education Abroad activities for 2026, Strong noted.

  • 2025 Education Abroad Faculty Fellows Nikki Ferry and William Harwood — Greece
  • 2025 Education Abroad Faculty Fellow Jeff Loughary (coordinated with Dr. Tonia Tinsley) — Morocco
  • Leslie Seawright — United Arab Emirates
  • Jonathan Newman and Rhonda Stanton — United Kingdom
  • Cameron LaBarr — Australia and New Zealand
  • Antoinette Barffour — Ghana
  • Vadim Putzu — Italy
  • Gwen Walstrand and Marcus Howell — Italy
  • Luis Lombilla — Mexico and Spain
  • Jason Shepard — Ecuador [“Eight Missouri State students enjoy studying in Ecuador“]
  • Vanessa Rodriguez de la Vega — Peru
  • Holly Holladay and Cristina Pippa — United Kingdom
  • Amy Muchnick — United Kingdom

Learn more about Education Abroad

 

History alum Anna Guenter wins top prize at history graduate student conference

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History alum Anna Guenter was awarded top honors at the 14th Annual Texas A&M University History Graduate Student Conference, held February 9-10, 2024.

Guenter won the History Graduate Student Organization Paper Award for her research on Jewish identity in postwar Vienna. The award included a $250 cash prize.

Her paper, “Jewish Revenge in Postwar Vienna: Negotiating Jewish Identity and Reclaiming Home after Nazism,” was part of her MA thesis research for the graduate program in Missouri State’s Department of History.

The conference theme this year was “Navigating Crises and Resolutions.”

Conference experience validates effort

As part of a four-person panel titled, “Remembering the Holocaust,” Guenter presented her work, then fielded questions from the panel’s moderator.

“This was my first time presenting at a conference, so I was very nervous beforehand,” Guenter said. “However, it was a very rewarding experience and I felt incredibly validated in my efforts as an aspiring scholar.”

“Having the chance to meet other historians and getting to know their research was by far the best part of going to the conference,” she added. “It was so much fun talking to the people on my panel and hearing how passionate they were about their work.”

[Read more…] about History alum Anna Guenter wins top prize at history graduate student conference

Making sense of the world through the lens of history

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Shania Dedigama, a Missouri State University first-year graduate student, has been fascinated by history and politics from an early age.

“My mom, a history enthusiast, read history books to me as a toddler,” Dedigama said. “From the age of six, I knew I wanted to study history and I told all my friends.”

Student poses with umbrella with castle in background
Shania Dedigama visits Dean Village in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Hailing from Sri Lanka, Dedigama earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the U.K. and a master’s degree in political science from the Netherlands. She is now pursuing another master’s degree in history at MSU.

“I chose MSU because it appeared as one of the best history programs on Google. MSU’s history program also gives me expertise not only in history, but also in political science,” Dedigama said.

She notes having expertise in two disciplines increases her prospects to work for organizations like the United Nations and the Council on Foreign Relations.

“I’ll also get a better chance of getting into an impressive PhD program in the future,” she added.

It is not surprising Dedigama has chosen to enhance her portfolio with another master’s degree.

“The workforce keeps growing; you must stand out,” Dedigama said.

After getting her first master’s degree, Dedigama worked as a journalist at News 1st, Sri Lanka’s largest private news organization.

During this period, she gained experience in investigative reporting and political writing.

“I sat on the journalists panel of a weekly political talk show called ‘Face the Nation,’” Dedigama said. “I interviewed politicians, economists and policy makers live on TV.” [Read more…] about Making sense of the world through the lens of history