COLLIN COLLEGE

By Heather Darrow

COURTESY OF COLLIN COLLEGE

Photo by Sara Carpenter, Collin College photographer.

History Classes Illuminate The Present Through The Lens of The Past

Jordan Scrantom plans to become a physical therapist. A soccer player who has recovered from many injuries, her goal is to show patients that she understands what they are going through as she helps them heal. The past is already impacting Jordan’s future, but she gained a deeper appreciation of the value of that concept in her Collin College history classes.

Jordan enjoyed Dr. Krystal Humphreys’ U.S. History 1301 class so much that she signed up for her U.S. History 1302 honors class the following semester.

“I like the way she structures the class,” Jordan said. “You don’t have to memorize information. You can just learn.”

In her honors class, Jordan selected a topic relating to American History from 1865 until the present day.

“My mom is from Germany, and I wanted to incorporate her history,” Jordan said. “My project was on America’s view of the Holocaust and what we did and didn’t do. During the Holocaust, we got frustrated about how the Jews were treated, but I saw the hypocrisy in how we treated the Japanese after Pearl Harbor. Seeing how we got to where we are today is interesting. Now I know that what happened in the past can influence what we do in the future.”

Historians are Storytellers

Dr. Krystal Humphreys discovered her love of teaching in graduate school.

“The minute I stood in front of a class I knew that was what I wanted to do. I love to tell stories, to talk and read about the past, and to see how our present is reflected in the past.”

Krystal’s interest in history flourished with the western historical novels her grandmother sent her. Her research focuses on the social and cultural history of everyday people of the past – the lives of Americans. She is one of two full-time history faculty members, along with adjunct professors, who teach at the Wylie Campus.

“The department is small, so students are taking classes with the same people,” she said. “There is a lot of continuity, and I really enjoy getting to know the students.”

Krystal said she knows many students may be afraid to take a history class, especially an honors history class, but she believes they will become fans of the discipline because of the interesting stories.

“History is about understanding what happened and what we see going on in our lives today. My honors classes focus on helping students understand what it means to be a historian and teaching the historical process while we are learning the story,” Krystal added. History’s Practical Applications

Wylie Campus History Professor Dr. Ryan Pettengill will be the first to tell you that he teaches practical knowledge that students can apply in their future careers.

“As much as I want my classes to stay with students so they can use them as a road map, I know the details will get fuzzy,” Ryan said. “However, I hope the academic goals, such as writing a cohesive paper in an effective and efficient way, will stay with them. These academic goals will translate to junior- and senior-level courses and are marketable skills that 21st century jobs require.”

Like Krystal, Ryan’s grandmother ignited his interest in history. Raised in Oxford, England, she grew up during World War II.

“As a 13- or 14-year-old, I remember her telling stories of bombing raids. At night at the height of the Battle of Britain she could see London burning from Oxford. I’ve always loved hearing and telling stories,” said Ryan, echoing his colleague’s sentiments.

An author who has conducted research at George Washington University, Ryan’s book “Communists and Community: Activism in Detroit’s Labor Movement, 1941-1956” was published in 2020. His students benefit from his research.

“Bowling alleys wouldn’t allow certain races to bowl at all or at the same time, and it was the union that broke that down,” he explained.

This spring Ryan and history students made their own mark on the college’s history when they founded the Collin College History Club. They plan to start a movie night and a podcast that features talks that coincide with important dates, anniversaries, and milestones in American history as well as events that are taking place on Collin’s campuses that have a connection to history.

“I take an enormous amount of pride in staying on top of what is going on in the field and making sure that what students get out of class is not only on par with what is taught at universities but is the latest information. My peers also have the same priorities, and that sets Collin apart,” Ryan said.

For more information about the Collin College History Club, visit https://collin.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/ history. To register for a history class at the Wylie Campus, visit www.collin.edu/campuses/wylie.