As the 2015-16 Penn State laureate, Carol Reardon wants to encourage informed reflection and open dialogue on war, peace and remembrance. One of nation’s most well-known Civil War historians, Reardon is certainly well-qualified to lead that conversation.
On Wednesday, Oct. 21, Reardon, the George Winfree Professor of American History, brings that dialogue to Penn State Behrend. Her presentation, “Why Study War,” takes place at 4:30 p.m. in in the Reed Auditorium of the college’s Reed Union Building. It is free and open to the public.
The Penn State laureate, an honorary position established in 2008, is a full-time faculty member in the humanities or the arts who is assigned half-time for one academic year to bring an enhanced level of social, cultural, artistic and human perspective and awareness to a broad array of audiences.
“As a military historian, I am interested in the causes, conduct, cost and consequences of wars as well as the lessons we learn or — just as important — fail to learn from these transformational events,” Reardon said after being appointed Laureate last year. Reardon’s work focuses on how memory shapes historical interpretation, and she is the author of numerous publications, including the award-winning book “Pickett’s Charge in History and Memory.” In 2007, she received the coveted George W. Atherton Award for Excellence in Teaching, the highest award given for teaching at Penn State.
In addition to traditional classroom teaching, she also conducts ‘staff rides’ to Civil War battlefields, manages open-air classrooms and is heavily involved in continuing education for military personnel.