History

The only requirement for joining Berkeley Connect in History is that you have an interest in the field of study. You do not have to be a major in order to participate! Undeclared freshmen and sophomores are welcome, along with entering junior transfers and juniors and seniors who have declared the major. Every semester, Berkeley Connect sponsors a wide range of activities and events for participating students. They include:

• small-group meetings led by your mentor;
• one-on-one meetings with your mentor;
• special events, including informal lectures by professors and guest speakers, and panels on career options, graduate school admissions, and other topics;
• and visits to Berkeley resources.

At the heart of Berkeley Connect is the relationship between you and your mentor. The Berkeley Connect mentors are advanced graduate students or recent PhDs in History, who are chosen both for their demonstrated commitment to undergraduates and for their scholarly achievement. They are dedicated to providing the kind of close-knit community and one-on-one attention that can be hard to find at a large university.

When you sign up for Berkeley Connect, you will join one of several small groups of participants in History. Your small group will be led by your mentor, and will meet every other week during the semester for an hour-long discussion session. Discussions will focus on key intellectual issues as well as key skills you need to succeed in the major. Above all, the small groups will focus on building connections among students, so that each group becomes a supportive community for all participants.

You will meet with your mentor one-on-one at least twice during the semester, to talk about anything you choose related to your academic life—questions you have, challenges you are facing, resources you are seeking, goals you are seeking to achieve. Your mentor will also hold open mentoring hours throughout the semester, during which you are free to show up and continue these conversations, or just check in.

Berkeley Connect Mentors

Sara Friedman is a PhD candidate in History.

Where did you grow up?

San Rafael, California

Where did you go to college and what was your major?

University of Chicago, double major in History and German Studies

How would you describe your research in a sentence or two?

I'm writing about Germany's transition to democracy after World War I through the lens of "Different from the Others," a 1919 film on LGBTQ+ rights.

Christin Zurbach is a PhD candidate in History.

Where did you grow up?

Media, Pennsylvania

Where did you go to college and what was your major?

Columbia College, Columbia University in the City of New York ; Major: Middle East, South Asian, and African Studies

How would you describe your research in a sentence or two?

My research examines what it meant to be a doctor in the Ottoman empire and how that changed in the nineteenth century, both in terms of how doctors were trained and practiced medicine and in terms of their place in society and politics. I also study the relationship between different religious communities and minorities at this time to each other and to the state, and how we those dynamics play out within the medical profession.

Semester Activities