Boris Von Faust 2014 (M.A., World History)
Adjunct professor of history, Felician College &
Archival specialist, Passaic County Historical Society at Lambert Castle
Q: What did you like about the program?
A: The variety of subjects and diversity of the classes offered.
Q: What was the greatest strength of the program?
A: The program’s greatest strength was the attention and care that it awarded to its students. I would like to especially thank the wonderful Christina Strasburger, the department program administrator, without whose endless help, guidance, and encouragement my success in the program would have been impossible.
Q: How did your experience in the Master’s program influence your choices concerning further education or work?
A: The experience taught me a lot about being a historian, a scholar, and a teacher.
Q: What aspect of your training in history shaped your professional experience?
A: The examples of my professors – Dr. Jon Cowans, Dr. Gary Farney, Dr. Richard Sher, and Dr. Neil Maher – has taught me what it means to be a good professor who is passionate about what he does.
Q: What courses best helped you prepare for your Master’s thesis/essay?
A: Dr. Richard Sher’s classes on the history of technology and communications were very insightful and helpful.
Q: What would you recommend about the program?
A: The Archaeological Field School in Sabina, Upper Tiberina, under the guidance of Dr. Gary Farney (whose classes on ancient Greek society were also beyond fascinating), was one of the brightest highlights of my entire life, and I owe it all to the Rutgers History Program.
Q: Do you have any advice for current graduate students?
A: Reach out for all the possibilities the program has to offer: the teaching assistantships and study abroad programs will prove to be invaluably helpful.
Describe your experience in three (3) words or phrases:
"Insightful, enlightening, encouraging"