History Lab, Fall 22
Chelsea is a senior studying political science and creative writing and literature from Grand Rapids, Michigan. For her honors thesis, she is writing a collection of stories based on Filipino folklore. She chose to take this History Lab because she wanted to learn more about the University of Michigan’s involvement in the colonial history of the Philippines, and also because she wanted to learn more about the experience of pensionados in Ann Arbor.
Emily is a sophomore interested in pursuing a degree in public health. She chose to take this course for an opportunity to work directly with the archival materials here at the University of Michigan and to learn more about the influence of U.S. imperialism on the Philippines’ public health. She also was driven by her passion for highlighting Filipino voices and stories, which she pursues outside of the classroom as the Filipino American Student Association Media Chair.
Ben is a junior majoring in History. Through his work for the website, he explored the intersection of politics and the media within the University of Michigan’s Philippines collection. As a senior, Ben will continue to work within this archive as a part of the History Honors Program. Outside of his coursework, Ben is involved with student voter engagement efforts such as the Creative Campus Voting Project.
Luke is a senior majoring in history with a minor in museum studies. Luke currently works at the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History as a docent. Through the museum studies program and his work at UM, Luke gained a passion for understanding the ways in which the narratives influence our perceptions of the world. Luke joined this history lab to further investigate the impacts of imperial education on the Philippines.
Sophia Tschirhart is an undergraduate student with a dual major in Psychology and the History of Art with a minor in Museum Studies. Her academic pursuits are centered around the visual cultures of imperial nations and colonized regions.
Lisa is a senior studying History, American Culture (Ethnic Studies), and Museum Studies. Her main focus is on the experiences of Asian Americans and Asian American history. Because of the transnational nature of Asian American history, Lisa continues to study the greater history of the US with Asia. Through the History Lab, she hoped to make these connections more personal and present.
Portia is a junior majoring in History and Classical Civilizations. The focus of her studies is the construction and deconstruction of imperial power and identity. Through this History Lab, she intended to study the history of American imperial expansion overseas. In her research, she hoped to center the complex agency of Filipino people during the American colonial period while also analyzing the complications and inaccuracies of colonial knowledge production.
Sydney Marks is a junior studying Sociology with a minor in History from Raleigh, North Carolina. She chose to work with Michigan and the World because of her interest in restorative and reparative justice.
Jessica Suan is a junior studying Microbiology with a minor in Asian Languages and Culture. She chose to take this class because she was deeply interested in the University of Michigan’s role in the colonization of the Philippines and she was interested in looking deeper into the Philippine Archives of the University. Her aim with this course was to center Filipino regional identities amidst a landscape dominated by colonial narratives.