Undergraduate Student Profile, February 2020
Peyton Coel—CAS ’23, Pardee ’23
Where are you from?
South Burlington, Vermont.
What has been your favorite History class you’ve taken at BU so far?
HI 287, or History of American Foreign Relations since 1898. The content of the course is incredibly interesting not only because it covers an era of American history that was marked by interactions with other nations, but really digs deep into the intentions and meanings behind many American foreign policy decisions.
What inspired you to become a History major?
In high school, history was truly the only subject that I felt fully engaged with inside and outside of class. The moment we learned something new, I would want to know everything I could about it. I found it fascinating to connect where we are today with what happened in the past, and that’s something I want to study for the rest of my life because it’s always going to be important.
What advice do you have for students considering a major or minor in History?
Go for it! History is such an amazing major and I’ve valued every second spent in my history classes. There are so many courses taught by a range of outstanding faculty, so try a little bit of everything to see what you like.
What is one interesting or fun fact about you?
I’ve met Bernie Sanders twice!