Professor Michelle Moran participated in the Montgomery College- Smithsonian Faculty Fellowship Program in 2017. She and her history students engaged in a theme-based approach to the course “Artifacts of Struggle: Constructing a History of Social Justice.” The theme of social justice proved to be a powerful and effective tool in helping students relate to the content of HIST 201: United States History from 1865 to the Present, as they developed critical skills of interpreting sources and crafting historical arguments. By engaging with material culture through the “Smithsonian Learning Lab” and exploring exhibits at the National Museum of American History, students gained a visceral connection to the people, events, and issues that shaped the modern nation. Working with historical artifacts — viewing them, interpreting them, and placing them within a wider context — enabled students to develop their own narratives of how Americans fought to create a more just and equitable society. Dr. Moran earned a Ph.D. in History and graduate certificate in Women s Studies at the University of Illinois, where she began research that culminated in her book, Colonizing Leprosy: Imperialism and the Politics of Public Health in the United States (UNC Press). She has been a member of the History and Political Science Department at the Rockville campus of Montgomery College since 2007. She teaches courses in U.S., women’s and world history, is co-moderator for the History Club, mentors MC student interns at the Library of Congress and runs the Jefferson Café discussion circle. The Montgomery College-Smithsonian Faculty Fellowship is the signature program of the Paul Peck Humanities Institute at Montgomery College, a community college located in suburban Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C. Since 1998, more than 180 faculty have completed the fellowship—integrating theme-based learning and museum visits into their courses. The program has spurred more than 20,000 visits to the Smithsonian as MC students and their guests travel to various Smithsonian museums, programs and events. Learn more at www.montgomerycollege. edu/humanities
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