Reynolds College Blog

History department launches professional development series for history education students

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The Department of History launched the first in a series of professional development sessions for its history education students Oct. 2 in Strong Hall.

“Engaging with Educators” was a panel discussion featuring four of the history education program’s graduates. All four are now professional teachers working in the southwest Missouri region.

Clinical Instructor Heather Haynes and Associate Professor Dr. Michelle Morgan developed the series in collaboration with history education academic advisor Alyssa Debolt.

Along with several faculty members, more than 30 students attended the event, Morgan estimated. The number represents nearly one third of the program’s current history education majors.

This was the first event of the professional development series. According to Haynes, the history department hopes to schedule several more in the future.

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History Department’s Haynes and Morgan help land “Creative Campaigners” grant

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Clinical Instructor Heather Haynes and Associate Professor Dr. Michelle Morgan from the Department of History have co-written a winning grant proposal for the Missouri Council for History Education (MOCHE).

MOCHE received the Teaching with Primary Sources grant from the Library of Congress. Grant funds will support a workshop series for southwest Missouri’s history educators.

Collaborating with MOCHE Vice President Rob Good, Haynes and Morgan started writing the grant proposal in the summer of 2025. The trio submitted their proposal in August.

The proposed series, “Creative Campaigners: The Arts and Civic Engagement,” consists of three separate workshops scheduled for Jan. 31, Feb. 28 and March 28 in 2026. Two workshops will be on Missouri State’s Springfield campus. Another will be held at the History Museum on the Square in Springfield.

The workshop series is open to any secondary teacher or pre-service teacher in southwest Missouri, Haynes said. Participants will receive a stipend of $150 a day. The stipend will be paid after the series is completed.

Application deadline is Dec. 5.

Apply now

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“History on Tap” series provides support and guidance for local history teachers

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One small idea to bring K-12 teachers and university scholars together in an informal setting has grown into the successful “History on Tap” series, and Missouri State University’s Dr. Michelle Morgan has helped pave the way.

Morgan, associate professor in the Department of History, became interested in the “History on Tap” event after learning of it through the Missouri Council for History Education (MOCHE). Morgan has been a member of MOCHE since 2011 and became a member of the board of directors in January 2022. She also serves on the program committee that coordinates the “History on Tap” series.

According to Morgan, the first “History on Tap” event was held in St. Louis when Debbie Schmidt, president of MOCHE, took inspiration for the event from a program she learned about through the National Council for History Education.

To achieve the desired informal atmosphere, the events started being held at local breweries.

“Hence ‘History on Tap,’” Morgan said. [Read more…] about “History on Tap” series provides support and guidance for local history teachers