The History Department encourages our students to be aware of multi-cultural, religious, social, ethnic, and global concerns. With this in mind, we work toward facilitating an appreciation among our students for cultures different from their own and toward generating the understanding that the world is a “global community.”
Our goal is that each student, by graduation, will be able to locate countries on a map or globe; identify major problems and solutions in an area or region; compare cultures, religious beliefs, social customs, and ethnic differences from an historical perspective. In addition, our students will become aware and tolerant of the diversity of different peoples. To achieve those ends, the students will apply political, social and economic principles to other areas or regions; utilize a decision-making process to solve problems; use historical data to test their feelings and biases; and use computer technology for both research and presentation of projects. As these ends become realities, the students will engage in the work of a scholar—research, writing, analytical reading, identification of causes and effects, and problem solving.
Jennifer Connolly studied History at American University in Washington, DC, while also volunteering at the White House and interning at the Civil War Trust. She then studied Law at Hofstra University School of Law, and is a licensed New York State attorney. She has had fellowships at George Washington's Mount Vernon and Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, as well as having studied at the United States Supreme Court.
Jennifer has taught Global History & Geography 1 and 2, United States History & Government, Advanced Placement United States History, Economics & Government, Introduction to Law, and Honors Humanities- A Study of Race, Class, and Gender in the U.S.
"If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours." Henry David Thoreau
- BA American University (1996)
- JD Hofstra University (2002)
- BA Manhattanville College (2013)
Dr. Nikolaus Unger completed his B.A. in History and German at Iona College (New Rochelle, New York) before working for two years as a Fulbright Program Teaching Assistant in Vienna, Austria with the Austrian-American Educational Commission and then completing a Masters (by Research) and PhD in History at the University of Warwick (Coventry, Great Britain).
Dr. Unger began teaching at Preston in 2008. His courses include Regents and Honors-level Global History & Geography (9th & 10th grades), Regents and Honors-level United States History & Government (11th grade ), AP European History (12th grade) and History of Women (12th grade). Additionally, Dr. Unger teaches a total of four individual semester long 3 credit dual enrollment courses through the University at Albany, University in the High School program: AHIS 100 & AHIS 101: American Political & Social History I & II (11th grade) and AHIS 259: History of Women & Social Change & AHIS 220: Public Policy in Modern America (12th grade). The UHS program offer high school Juniors currently enrolled in Honors-level US History & Government and/or Seniors choosing the History of Women elective course the opportunity to get a head start on their college education by earning up to a total of 12 transferable college credits; students do not have to attend any additional classes outside of PHS or take any additional exams once enrolled in one of these programs to earn college credit, but there are additional fees payable to the University at Albany.
“Learning proceeds until death and only then does it stop. ... Its purpose cannot be given up for even a moment. To pursue it is to be human, to give it up to be a beast.” – Xún Zǐ , Chinese Confucian philosopher, c.312 BC - 230 BCE.
"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." — Benjamin Franklin
- BA Iona College (2000)
- MA University of Warwick, United Kingdom (2003)
- PhD University of Warwick, United Kingdom (2008)
Eugenia Wolovich received her BA and Masters in History from Hunter College, CUNY. Before that, Eugenia was a Preston Panther, class of 2010.
Her interest in education first developed while working at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in the Education Department, partnering with middle schools over the tristate area to bring the history of the Holocaust from the museum setting and into the classroom. Most recently, Eugenia comes from working in development at a nonprofit specializing in after school activities for underserved communities.
Eugenia teaches Regents and Honors level Global History and Geography 1, United States History & Government, and Economics & Government.
She enjoys bike rides and everything bagels.
- MA Hunter College (2015)