Greetings history department faculty, students and whomever else may across this page! I am Stephen Mitchell, an undergraduate history student at the University of Central Florida. This is now my senior year at UCF and my third year within the History major. I hope to graduate sometime next year. I originally enrolled at UCF as an engineering major but quickly found that program to be uninteresting and tedious, although I still love bikes, planes, cars and anything else that involves putting things together and moving parts around (a holdover from my love of LEGOs!). I realized I wouldn't finish college unless I studied something I was truly passionate about. I've been fascinated by history and the ancient past since I first watched Raiders of the Lost Ark (even though Dr. Jones is a terrible archeologist and historian). At first I feared a lack of opportunity in history, but I've since met plenty of successful history majors over the years working in a variety of fields, from finance to education and beyond. After graduating I plan to study relentlessly for the LSAT and, with a bit of luck, get into law school and pursue a career in law!
Although undergraduates don't specialize in a specific subfield, I've found myself gravitating towards a few specific historical studies that interest me. The historical study of law is one such field. The context law emerges from, the government and society law structures, and the way law is able to extend through time, from Justinian to de Vattel to Thurgood Marshall, creates a fascinating field that demands more study (and provides a good segue into modern legal studies). I have also come to appreciate the history of the frontier, the history of Florida, and the wider subfield of Atlantic history and revolutionary studies. At the beginning of my undergraduate career I preferred learning of the ancient Mediterranean, but I found the study of local history creates more real and tangible connections between the past and present. There is something instinctively gratifying about discovering local names or places familiar to oneself in a historical text.
I am excited to be working in the History Lab and assisting students with their own historical research and writing! I'm honored Dr. Snyder would recommend me for an internship, I will do my best and contribute as much as I can to make the most of this opportunity. I am a bit nervous as I've never officially tutored other students before. I have some experience casually assisting friends or fellow students in subjects that they struggle with, but never in an official capacity. Although slightly nervous, I'm excited about teaching and assisting my peers with their research and writing. Teaching others is often a great way to develop one's own skills and further their knowledge of the subject. The teacher is required to step back, analyze, and deeply consider the "why" of the subject rather than just the "who, what, when and where." I'm hoping I can use this opportunity to develop those deeper critical thinking and learning skills that will prove useful for the rest of my major, law school and beyond. I've used History Lab in previous semesters to good effect, so it's only right that I now provide my own contributions to help future history students!