February 10, 2018 · 6:21 pm
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Bulkpacks and History Classes

By Rob Williams, C’93

Penn History bulkpack from Prof. Childers' class

History 2 bulkpack from Campus Copy Center, photo courtesy of Rob Williams, C’93

Ah, bulkpacks — because we didn’t have Blackboard or Canvas, Google, or on-line library resources to easily connect us on-line to thousands of e-book and journal articles!  I can’t say I miss the grainy, poorly copied, sometimes off-center, and often hard to read copied-for-the-millionth-time pages.  As a former adjunct at American University teaching graduating seniors and now as an adjunct associate professor with Georgetown University’s MSFS program, most students today have easy access to materials that will not make you prematurely put you in reading glasses or add 15 pounds to a backpack.  I have to say, I am fairly certain none of them have ever thumbed through a card catalogue and wandered the stacks looking for books.  But, maybe, that experience represents our good-ole-days.

Penn history bulkpack

Table of Contents for Prof. Childers’ History 2 Bulkpack. Photo courtesy of Rob Williams, C’93

As for Professor Childers’ history course, it started me down a path I did not fully appreciate at the time–into a career protecting the United States and its position in the world.  Combined with Professor Walter McDougall‘s courses in Diplomatic History, Professor Daniel Deudney‘s course in International Relations Theory, and Professor Thomas Naff‘s courses on the Middle East, they opened doors into different worlds, contextualized our present, and sketched for us an arc of history while equipping us with ways to critically think about the world system, which is our heritage.  They helped us to better understand a world that is ours to care for, or not.  To learn from humanity’s collective historical mistakes.  To properly frame the present.  To do better for the future.  Indeed, Childers and MacDougall offered us insights into the importance of Allies and Alliances, balancing other countries that challenge the world order, and managing well internal stresses as countries rapidly change while being shaped by technological developments. Lessons we would be foolish to ignore today.

Penn Class of 1993 25th Reunion Countdown

The weekend of December 8 – 9, 2017, marked 22 weeks until the 25th Reunion of the Penn Class of 1993 (May 11 – 14, 2018)! Meet us at the Button!

Join us we count down the weeks to our reunion #93tothe25th:

  • Do you have old photos or mementos from our time at Penn? Photos of Spring Fling? Football at Franklin Field? Classes at DRL? We are taking a trip down memory lane and would love for you to share your memories with our class in a future post. Please email us upenn1993@gmail.com!
  • Follow us on Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram.
  • Classmates are invited to join our Facebook and LinkedIn groups.
  • Donate to The Penn Fund in honor of our reunion! We want to break the 25th reunion participation giving record and every gift matters!

Book Your Hotel Room for Alumni Weekend NOW!

The Marriott Downtown (where we had a Penn 1993 and a Penn Alumni room block) is sold out for Alumni Weekend. There are alternative hotels near by. We recommend booking ASAP! Please see our class website for additional details.

Penn Class of 1993 25th Reunion #93tothe25th

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