Alumni and Students

Sanja Kadrić received her doctorate in Islamic History from the Department of History at The Ohio State University. She is an Assistant Professor of Islamic World History in the Department of History at Texas A&M University-Commerce. Her work focuses primarily on the history of the Ottoman Empire, elite slavery, and imperial identity formation. She is particularly interested in race, ethnicity, religion, and gender within the scope of empire and nation-building, population politics, and immigration. Sanja is working on her first book and teaching courses on World History, Islamic History and Ottoman History.

Seattle U Honors alumna Serena Oduro was a finalist for both a Rhodes Scholarship and a Marshall Scholarship, among the most prestigious national fellowships. Serena graduated from Seattle University in 2020 as a Sullivan Scholar with a major in History and minors in Business Administration, Chinese and Philosophy. This highly-accomplished student was the university's first Rhodes finalist since 2005.

I originally hail from Sammamish, WA. In my studies, I am especially interested in the development of ideologies and their impact on political and cultural movements. For my final research paper of the year, I am investigating the development of nationalist and socialist identities in 20th century Vietnam, with a particular focus on connections with emerging international socialism. Outside of classes, I am a captain on SU's cross country and track teams, and enjoy reading, listening to music, and political activism. Following graduation, I plan to pursue a certificate in Computer Science at SU.

Combining her interests in history and Spanish language in her academic research into Latin American history, and through her participation in the Latin American Studies Program in Puebla, Mexico in 2018, her research includes themes relating to leftist organizing amidst United States interventionism in 20th century Latin America. Her senior research project examined primary sources surrounding the 1928 massacre of striking banana workers in Colombia, and analyzed the influence of U.S. economic investment. She is continuing along these themes in her research into to the Tupamaro resistance movement that took place in Uruguay in the 60s-70s, as well as exploring how it contributed to the landscape of Latin American resistance movements.

Honors: Donovan Award given to HIST Major with the highest GPA Post-grad plans: I will be entering a service year with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps working as a youth minister. My ultimate career goal is to become a research librarian at an academic institution.

Honors: Donovan Award given to HIST Major with the highest GPA Tentative post-graduation plans- I am continuing to take Arabic courses to further develop my Arabic proficiency, and I am applying to several history-related internships to explore options for future studies or employment.

Honors: Donovan Award given to HIST Major with the highest GPA Madsen Leadership and Public Service Award. As the president of Phi Alpha Theta (History Honors Club), Falen helped organize activities such as a senior picnic and a game of Jeopardy and also designed a History Department t-shirt. In addition, as the department’s student assistant she designed eye-catching posters for events and mentored students. Tentative post-graduation plans: Falen is staying in Seattle next year to work and continue research on some papers she would like to publish.

Honors: Donovan Award given to HIST Major with the highest GPA Tentative post-graduation plans: Accepted into the Master's in Teaching Program at SU College of Education

Honors: Madsen Leadership and Public Service Award Isabel helped run the regional World History Association conference and has been History Department’s Student Executive Council rep and a digital intern. Tentative Post-graduation Plan: I'm interested in archival work and after graduation I am planning on going to graduate school in Library Sciences with an archival focus.