Melanie Rush

I am a third year American History PhD student. My research focuses on the intersections of race, gender, and law during New York’s era of gradual emancipation. I teach Modern American History at Lehman College and serve as a co-chair of CUNY EARS (Early American Research Seminar). Feel free to email me at mrush1@gradcenter.cuny.edu with any questions you may have about program!

Ask Me About: First Year Exam, Language Study/Exams, Publishing

Peer Mentor Co-coordinator 2024-2025

Sammie Chomsky

I’m a third-year U.S. History PhD student and I plan to minor in Latin American History. I am particularly interested in popular education and the way that formal educational structures contribute to working-class social movements. I was a TA at Hunter College during the 2023-2024 academic year and I will be teaching at Queens College starting in Fall 2024. I moved to New York from Philadelphia to start graduate school, and I’m more than happy to discuss the (sometimes difficult!) adjustment to NYC life. Email me at schomsky@gradcenter.cuny.edu with any questions!

Ask Me About: First Year Exam, Language Study/Exams, Moving to NY, Advisors

Peer Mentor Co-coordinator 2024-2025

Oscar Aponte

I’m a fourth-year student in Latin American and Carribean history focusing on Colombia and the Amazon rainforest. My research revolves around agrarian history, rural colonization, indigenous peoples and the state, infrastructure projects, and extractive economies. I’m also interested in environmental history, history of the press, labor history, Latinx studies, and critical theory. I’m a Graduate Teaching Fellow at City College and was a Fellow at the Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions you have about the program or living in New York as an international student, I’ll be more than happy to help. Email: oaponte@gradcenter.cuny.edu

Ask Me About: Oral Exam, Dissertation Proposal / Defense, Conferences, Grant Writing, Publishing

Orals Committee: Prof. Herman Bennett (Colonial LatAm history), Prof. Laird Bergad (Modern LatAm history), Prof. Eduardo Contreras (Latinx history), Prof. Mary Roldan (Dissertation Field)

Danielle Bennett

I’m a 4th year student studying US history and public history. My research interests are at the intersections of LGBTQ+ history and the historic preservation movement. I am also teaching Shaping the Modern World this year at Brooklyn College. I’m happy to answer any questions you have about the first year, first year exams, remote classes, teaching for the first time or anything else you might be wondering at dbennett@gradcenter.cuny.edu.

Ask Me About: First Year Exam, Archival Research, Conferences, Moving to NY

Orals Committee: Prof. Annie Valk (Dissertation), Prof. John Dixon (Early US), Prof. Tanisha Ford (Late US), Prof. Phil Napoli (Public History)

Peer Mentor Co-coordinator, 2023-2024

Cathy Cabrera-Figueroa 

I am a doctoral candidate in Latin American History specializing in Puerto Rican migration to and communities in the United States. I am also interested in Latinx History in the United States, Women and Gender History, Social Movements, and Race and race relations, to name a few topics. My current research focuses on public health nurses in Puerto Rico in the early twentieth century, their contributions to healthcare access and disease prevention, and how external forces, including U.S. institutions, shaped their training and practice. I also examine how the rise of female nurses in public health challenged gender roles within Puerto Rican society. Before graduate school, I worked in Higher Education, so History was a big career shift. Finally, I am a lifetime New Yorker with two children in college. Ask me about raising kids/teenagers in the city, returning to school after over 20+ years out of school, or anything else. I am always happy to chat! ccabrerafi@gradcenter.cuny.edu  

Ask Me About: First Year Exam, Oral Exam, Dissertation Proposal / Defense, Archival Research, Conferences

Orals Committee: Prof. Laird Bergad (Dissertation), Prof. Mary Roldan (Modern Latin America), Prof. Herman Bennet (Colonial Latin America), Prof. Eduardo Contreras (Minor – Us/Latinx History)

Gloria Pereira Caminha

I am a third-year student studying 20th-century U.S. My research revolves around U.S. and South American countries’ relations in the 1960s and 1970s, and I am also interested in women’s history. I am an international student living in NYC since 2020. If you have questions about the program, living in NYC, the experiences of an international student in the U.S., the joys and challenges of the first year, or just want to chat, feel free to reach out at gpereiracaminha@gradcenter.cuny.edu. I’ll be happy to meet you in person or via Zoom.

Ask Me About: First Year Exam, Archival Research, Moving to NY

Robert Cleary

I’m a second-year student studying U.S. history, and have just begun to teach modern U.S. history at Queens College. My research is around queer community and activist movements in the twentieth century. I’m happy to chat with anyone about the experience of the first year in the program, conducting research, and what to look forward to in the second year.

Ask Me About: First Year Exam, Archival Research, Conferences, Language Study / Exams

Orals Committee: Prof. Waldstreicher (early U.S.), Prof. Contreras (later U.S.), Prof. Bennett (minor field), Prof. Valk (dissertation field).

Deena Ecker

I am an doctoral candidate and Americanist. I focus on social and urban history, and the history of gender and sexuality and have a strong interest in public history. My research looks at prostitutes, pop culture, and sexual culture in the early 20^th century. I hope to turn my research into documentaries as well as traditional academic writing. I teach American History at CCNY.

Ask Me About: First Year Exam, Oral Exam, Dissertation Proposal / Defense, Archival Research, Conferences, Advisors

Oral Committee: Prof. Ben Carp (Early America), Prof. Thomas Kessner (Modern US), Professor Julia Sneeringer (Gender & Sexuality), Prof. Kathleen McCarthy (Dissertation field)

Kate Kelley

I am a doctoral candidate in Modern European History working with Dagmar Herzog. My research centers around arts and politics in the German Democratic Republic with a focus on ballet and modern dance – and I was a dancer myself before turning to academia. I am happy to help with any concerns about the program including administrative questions (including taking parental leave), teaching, exams, and grant writing. I have served as a graduate student representative on several committees and working groups including the Executive Committee, the Anti-Racism Working Group, and the Caregivers Working Group. Feel free to reach out anytime tokkelley@gradcenter.cuny.edu.

Ask Me About: Oral Exam, Dissertation Proposal / Defense, Archival Research, Conferences, Parental Leave, Grant Writing, IRB Application

Orals Committee: Ben Hett (Europe), Julia Sneeringer (Europe), Gary Wilder (Intellectual History), Dagmar Herzog (Dissertation Field)

Adam Kocurek

I am an American History PhD candidate who focuses on 20th century LGBT history, history of higher education, and history of labor, sexuality and gender. In addition to the American History PhD, I am pursuing the certificate in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies offered at The Graduate Center. I currently am an adjunct lecturer at Hunter College for the Modern American History survey, do public history tours of New York City, and have experience in student government and administrative work at The Graduate Center. I can be reached at akocurek@gradcenter.cuny.edu and am happy to answer any and all questions regarding my experience at The Graduate Center, living in NYC, etc.

Ask Me About: First Year Exam, Oral Exam, Dissertation Proposal / Defense, Archival Research, Conferences, Language Study / Exams, Moving to NY, Student Government, Additional/Alternative funding and Monetary Sources, etc.

Orals Committee: Professor Herzog (Dissertation), Professor Kessner (Modern US), Professor Waldstreicher (Early US), Julia Sneeringer (Minor Field)

Marta Millar

I’m a fourth-year doctoral student in Modern European History and a Graduate Teaching Fellow at Baruch College. My interests include modern Germany, southern Africa, colonialism, and public history and memory in these contexts. My research explores postcolonial relations between Germany and Namibia, with a specific focus on the role of universities and museums in shaping public memory of the colonial past. I’m also the Program Manager of the University of Freiburg’s North American Liaison Office. I am happy to answer questions about the first-year exams and coursework, archival research, applications, and conferences, teaching, or anything else that might come up. Contact me at mmillar@gradcenter.cuny.edu.

Ask Me About: First Year Exam, Archival Research, Conferences, Language Study / Exams, Publishing, Grant applications, IRB

Orals Committee: Prof. Ben Hett (major field: modern Europe – continental), Prof. Steven Remy (major field: modern Europe – empires), Prof. Herman Bennett (minor field: modern southern Africa), Prof. Dagmar Herzog (dissertation field: postcolonial memory and imperial sciences)

Pheonix Paz

Phoenix Paz is a third-year student in the PhD Program in History, where she studies the history of Latin America, with a focus on science, infrastructure, and markets. She teaches a course in the history of science, medicine, and technology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and is co-chair for the Global Capitalisms reading group at the GC. She is happy to discuss any questions you have about the program, transitioning to graduate school after time in the workplace, dealing with work-life balance, life in the city as a newcomer (from another state or country), or any other questions you might have. Her email is ppaz@gradcenter.cuny.edu.

Rashmi

I am a third-year Ph.D. student at CUNY Graduate Center and a Graduate Teaching Fellow at Brooklyn College. My research interest includes the social and political history of marginalized groups in South Asia in the colonial and postcolonial periods, with a special focus on the issues of gender, race, and the history of sexuality and social hierarchies. If you have any questions or concerns about the first year of the program, adjusting to the city, or navigating life in the GC, please feel free to write to me at rrashmi@gradcenter.cuny.edu

Ask Me About: First Year Exam, Archival Research, Being an International Student, Moving to NY

Keith Rosenthal

My research areas of interest include disability, the working class, capitalism, social oppression, social movements, and Marxism. My geographic scope is mostly the U.S. and North America, though I am also interested in global and world-systems histories.

Ask Me About: First Year Exam, Oral Exam, Archival Research, Conferences, Publishing, Scholarship-activism within and against capitalist bureaucracy

Orals Committee: Prof. Markowitz (Dissertation), Prof. Herzog (Disability), Prof. Waldstreicher, (Early U.S. History), Prof. Miller (Modern U.S. History)

Maggie Schreiner

I am a PhD student and modern Americanist, and I am broadly interested in social and urban history, the history of gender and sexuality, and public history. My research focuses on housing discrimination and queer and trans organizing for affordable housing in 20th century NYC. I am currently a Teaching Assistant at Hunter College. I can answer questions about getting oriented to the GC and the history department, and the first year experience (such as the first year exams and coursework). I previously worked as an archivist, and am also happy to answer questions about primary source research and NYC archives. You can reach me at mschreiner@gradcenter.cuny.edu

Ask Me About: First Year Exam, Oral Exam, Archival Research

Orals Committee: Prof Valk (Dissertation), Prof Waldstreicher (Early US), Prof Contreras (Modern US), Prof Ford (Minor – Gender and Sexuality)

Chandni Tariq

I am PhD candidate researching slavery and the construction of race in the Indian Ocean world during the time of abolition. I originally came into the program as an Americanist and have expanded my horizons quite a bit since then. I am currently teaching Modern U.S. History at LaGuardia Community College. I have past experience teaching incarcerated people in a carceral setting. I am also a Teaching and Learning Center Fellow. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to chat about pedagogy or abolition (both of slavery in the late nineteenth century and of prisons today) at ctariq@gradcenter.cuny.edu.

Ask Me About: Oral Exam, Teaching

Orals Committee: Gunja SenGupta (Diss.), David Waldstreicher (Early U.S.), Tanisha Ford (Modern U.S.), Swapna Banerjee (Minor)

Peer Mentor Co-coordinator, 2023-2024

Helena Yoo

I am a PhD candidate and focus on early America. I am particularly interested in questions about imperial connections, communication networks, and provincial identity. I am happy to talk about anything and everything about my experiences thus far at the GC and can answer questions about the first year experience (settling in, preparing for exams, etc) and about living in NYC! You can reach me at hyoo@gradcenter.cuny.edu.

Amanda Westbrook

I’m a seventh-year PhD candidate with a focus on US History.  My dissertation links cultural ideals about working mothers in American media from 1890-today and explores the racialized nature of their creation.  I have taught at Hunter College, as a teaching assistant for both halves of US History and then as instructor of my own section for the second half of US History.  I took a leave of absence between my second year and third year after the birth of my second child.  I am happy to talk about research, exams, teaching, taking a leave of absence, my change in career path from finance, and everything in between. You can reach me at abrennan@gradcenter.cuny.edu.

Orals Committee: Prof. Robyn Spencer, Prof. Dagmar Herzog, Prof. Gerald Markowitz, Prof. David Waldstreicher. Major Field: U.S. Minor Field: Gender

Yanara Schmacks

I’m a rising seventh-year modern Europeanist focusing on the history of twentieth-century Germany, specifically on the politics of reproduction and motherhood in the aftermath of National Socialism in both East and West. I used to teach early modern European history at Lehman College. Feel free to reach out to yschmacks@gradcenter.cuny.edu.

Ask Me About: First Year Exam, Oral Exam, Dissertation Proposal / Defense, Archival Research, Conferences, Language Study / Exams, Publishing, Moving to NY, International Student Issues, External Fellowships (application + coordination with the department)

Orals Committee: Prof. Ben Hett (Europe), Prof. Julia Sneeringer (Europe), Prof. Gary Wilder (Intellectual History), Dagmar Herzog (Dissertation Field)

Chris Del Santo

I am a third-year student in the PhD program, current co-chair of the Early American Republic Seminar, one of the co-founders of the History of Capitalism reading group, and a graduate teaching assistant at Hunter College. I am happy to talk about early U.S. and Atlantic history, historiography, or anything about grad school. My email is cdelsanto@gradcenter.cuny.edu.

Ask Me About: First Year Exam, Archival Research, Language Study / Exams

Ian Gregory

I am a second-year French history PhD student. My main research interest is in the history of occultism (including magic, spiritualism, and psychic powers) and how it relates to French politics. Additionally, I am interested in Marian apparitions, the history of antisemitism, and miniatures (doll houses, model railroads, etc.). I am a teaching fellow at Lehman College where I teach Modern European History. I am happy to talk about the first-year experience, and moving to NYC: feel free to reach out to me at igregory@gradcenter.cuny.edu if you have any questions.

Ask Me About: First Year Exam, Archival Research, Moving to NY

Kristen Foland-majkut

I’m a second year PhD student in American History. My research is on social and cultural histories of philanthropy in late 19th century New York with specific focus on public health and disease. I’ll be TA’ing modern U.S. History at Hunter College in the fall and will be helping organize the Graduate Student Conference in 2025. I’m happy to speak about anything program related including the research process, first-year experience, etc. You can reach me at kfolandmajkut@gradcenter.cuny.edu!

Ask Me About: First Year Exam, Archival Research

Sato Moughalian

I am a second-year Modern European History PhD student with a minor in Armenian studies. I’m working on intersections of visual/cultural production with mass violence and state and identity formation, from the late-nineteenth into the early-twentieth centuries, and hope to have a second minor field in Middle East studies. I came to graduate school during Covid, after my career as a classical flutist was upended by the pandemic. I earned an MA at GC and stayed on in the History program. As an arts professional, I gained a lot of experience in grant writing, and as a longtime New Yorker, know the city pretty well. I am happy to provide moral support and answer any questions I can. Email: smoughalian@gradcenter.cuny.edu

Ask Me About: First Year Exam, Archival Research, Conferences, Publishing, Moving to NY

Catherine Stockalper

I’m a second-year Ancient History PhD student interested in Roman history, gender and sexuality studies, and comparative empire history more broadly. I’m particularly interested in prostitution, female reproductive habits, and ideologies related to gender within the context of imperial projects, as well as feminist theory.

Ask Me About: First Year Exam, Conferences, Language Study / Exams, Moving to NY

Chris Harding

I’m Chris, a second year student who specialises on the Middle East. I work on Palestinian history during the Mandate years (1922-48) – on class, labour, and capital. Feel free to reach out with any qs about living in nyc, life at the Grad Center, community organising (Palestine and union stuff), and anything else: chrisjonharding@gmail.com

Ask Me About: First Year Exam, Archival Research, Language Study / Exams

Naomi Fischer

I am a second year PhD student studying American History and public history. My work focuses on the creation of cultural memory around instances of mass and community-based violence. I have a background in documentary film and museum work and am happy to talk about finding work in the field, and continuing to contribute to projects while in graduate school. I am also a graduate teaching fellow at City College. Email me to chat about navigating the First Year and/or navigating New York at any time! Nfischer@gradcenter.cuny.edu

Ask Me About: First Year Exam, Archival Research, Moving to NY

Madeline DeDe-Panken

I’m an American History PhD candidate with a focus on women and gender and interests in public history. My work explores the gendered dimensions of mycological science as part of an American food fad at the turn of the twentieth century, which is why you may hear me referred to as “Mushroom Mady.” I teach at Lehman College and have twice served as co-coordinator of the Peer Mentor Program. I am happy to chat about teaching, public history, organization strategies for life and research, managing grad student anxieties, contending with the two body problem, or anything else on your mind. Reach out anytime – mdedepanken@gradcenter.cuny.edu. 

Jiwon Han

I’m a fifth year Europeanist at the Graduate Center who studies 18C Anglo-Dutch financial relations. As a Graduate Teaching Fellow, I’m teaching a microhistory course at John Jay. I’m happy to talk with my fellow students about first/second year experiences, archival research, living in New York, life as an international student, or any other issue. Reach me at any time at jhan1@gradcenter.cuny.edu!

Idan Liav

I’m a modern Europeanist with background in International Relations and Conflict Research. I’m interested in the history of memory and its manifestations in relation to the Holocaust and the 1948 Arab-Israeli War; I also teach early modern/modern European history at Queens College. I’m always happy to meet (via zoom this year I guess?) and discuss challenges, teaching, and how to navigate mental health issues with program requirements (hint: get a dog). Email me at iliav@gradcenter.cuny.edu or enjoy my twitter rants @idanliav!  

Orals Committee: Prof. Ben Hett (Europe), Prof. Simon Davis (ME), Prof. Sarah Covington (Memory), Prof. Dagmar Herzog (dissertation field)

Tamara Maatouk

I am a Ph.D. candidate in modern Middle Eastern history with a minor in cultural history. My current research explores the intersection of cinema and politics in socialist Egypt, with attention to histories of culture, concepts, and emotions. I have taught Modern Egypt and Egypt under Nasser at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and Twentieth-Century Middle East at City College. I am happy to chat about first-year concerns, comprehensive exam, certificate program, and teaching. I can be reached at tmaatouk@gradcenter.cuny.edu

Ask Me About: First Year Exam, Oral Exam, Teaching, Certificate Programs

Orals Committee: Prof. Samira Haj (ME), Prof. Craig Daigle (ME), Andreas Killen (Cultural History/Film), Beth Baron (Dissertation Field)

Carli Snyder

I’m a PhD candidate in the History program researching feminist scholars and activists’ roles in the development of American Holocaust consciousness during the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. I have taught world and American history classes at Brooklyn College and Baruch College. Currently, I work at the American Social History Project as a researcher and writer. I am happy to discuss teaching, exam preparation, work-life balance, and anything else that comes up! You can reach me at csnyder1@gradcenter.cuny.edu

Orals Committee: Prof. Gunja SenGupta (Early U.S.), Prof. Anne Valk (Post-Reconstruction U.S.), Prof. Julia Sneeringer (Modern Europe), Prof. Dagmar Herzog (Dissertation Field)