Chair's Note
Dear Students, Student Families, Alumni, and Friends of History,
The Santa Clara History Department’s second half of 2025 was busy and productive. We are delighted to share the many accomplishments of our students and faculty.
I encourage you to keep in touch by sending us updates on your many successes.
Sincerely,
Matthew Newsom Kerr
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Prof. Naomi Andrews received the Louis and Dorina Brutocao Award for Teaching Excellence. The Brutocao recognizes outstanding faculty who promote intellectual curiosity, model and foster intellectual rigor and honesty and a zest for learning, connect course material and life outside the classroom; and who are available to students, attentive to their needs, and enjoy the teacher-student relationship. This award honors teachers who, over many years, have served as exemplars of the Santa Clara Jesuit tradition of service, challenged their students in ways that have forced them to look at the world afresh, made a major influence in the intellectual and moral development of their students; and made an impression on students that is felt many years after students have graduated. All who know Prof. Andrews know that this honor well-describes the colleague and professor with whom we are privileged to work. Many present toasted to Prof. Andrews’s award at a packed reception in the Board of Fellows North Lobby. Congratulations, Prof. Andrews!
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The History Department celebrates a new and eagerly-awaited addition – our new Administrative Assistant, Julia Kovatch! A very warm welcome, Julia! Julia joins the Department as an alumna of Santa Clara University and former student in History Department coursework. We are utterly delighted to have her! Welcome aboard!
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Dylan Ryu '26 found a home in the History department and is the current president of the History Club. Prof. Jeannette Estruth interviewed Dylan on his SCU journey and experiences as a History major.
Read more »
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Jeanette Estruth
Two new articles, hosted a campus visitor, and a presentation on her paper on the 1992 Senate Elections in California.
Read more »
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Sonia Gomez
New book deal inked, a new essay on the inspiration for her first book, and taking a class to San Jose's Japantown.
Read more »
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Now at the SCU School of Law, Samuel Cao ’25 published his research article, "'The Place of Happiness for the Unclean': Biopolitics, Necropolitics, and the Architecture of Control in Culion," in the Winter 2026 edition of SYNTHESIS.
Read more »
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Alumni!!! Please send us an update for the “Alumni” section of this newsletter. Let us hear from you and learn what you’re up to. We’d also love to learn any special memories you have of your time in the History Department—such as a story about a memorable class, professor, staff member, or classmate. Please submit to Julia Kovatch at jkovatch@scu.edu.
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!
Your gifts make possible many student opportunities!
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