SUSIH: Conferencing While in Graduate School

Our conference chair Natalia Mehlman Petrzela made my day by asking me to write a blog post speaking to graduate student experiences at the Society for US Intellectual History (SUSIH) annual conference. No universal graduate student experience exists, and I can only speak for myself. SUSIH has been one of my favorite conferences thanks to kind and smart attendees, engaging sessions, and my own commitment to what works best for me.

Before you go, plan how to get there, where to stay, and remember to register. This might sound obvious, but I cannot emphasize enough: please register in advance, for various reasons, including your own finances and the sanity of people working the registration desk. Don’t forget to book transportation soon to maximize options and minimize cost. That might seem straightforward, but I haven’t figured out my own trip home yet. Like any conference, deciding where to stay can be a challenge. Do you mind sharing a room? Is close proximity to the site worth the expense? Despite financial constraints, I prioritize staying in the conference hotel because of the unplanned conversations and connections that happen in the lobby or on route from Point A to Point B. But I don’t always do this, and sometimes staying father away can not only save money, but also provide “me time” and introduce you to more of a city.

From astute scholars that you have read, to graduate student friends who live in different places, I believe that the SUSIH crowd is wonderful. You might come to an organization for the content, but you’ll stay for the people and sense of community. At my first SUSIH, in 2017, I went out to dinner with a table’s worth of scholars. I hoped to sit next to Emily Conroy-Krutz because I had recently enjoyed her book Christian Imperialism, so I waited for a seat to open. To my astonishment, nobody seized the opportunity to sit next to keynote speaker Annette Gordon-Reed. I’d assumed that the spot was out of my league, but SUSIH is welcoming to graduate students. So, a third-year graduate student got to sit with and even recommend Del Frisco’s steak-and-cheese eggrolls to the woman who recovered the Sally Hemings story, among other accomplishments. Gordon-Reed was charming and down-to-earth, though I remained starstruck throughout the meal.[1]

SUSIH was my first academically centered conference, in the sense that most attendees are full-time academics. One of my first observations about the SUSIH program was that most panels were philosophically and/or politically oriented. As a proud philosophy major, I enjoy this throwback to my undergraduate studies. Some panels address traditional political history from an intellectual-history angle, while others take on the politics of culture. For example, last year, Natalia Mehlman Petrzela’s panel on fitness culture empowered me to quit a kickboxing gym that had a racist owner. Natalia’s presentation applied the history of fitness industries to illustrate each customer’s political-economic responsibility. Each year, the SUSIH program fuses activism, philosophy, politics, and intellectual history.

For me, the conference experience begins on social media before I arrive. As a creature of habit, I post and tweet how and when I’m traveling, what books I read while traveling, a photo of my nametag next to the conference program – sometimes with my presentation highlighted – and local sites if the city is new to me. Starting casual conversations online can serve as a social lubricant in person. Social media can also enhance the feeling of community in an academic setting. At the same time, I’m an extrovert, and talking with many people in a short period of time reenergizes me. At conferences, I tend to go with the flow instead of coordinating meetings in advance. I don’t cling to one person or group, and I enjoy meeting new people. If you’re an introvert, however, please find comfort in L.D. Burnett’s 2017 blog post.[2] When conferencing, do what works best for you.

Many of my favorite SUSIH moments were unexpected. In the 2017 public history plenary, historian Whitney Stewart defined public history as a bridge between academic history and museums. I continue to use that definition. In 2018, the late and great Leo Ribuffo appeared at the registration desk to inquire, “If I were a bathroom, where would I be?” I’m grateful to have met this outstanding scholar in such a down-to-earth, human context a few weeks before his passing. Another benefit of conferencing is that these meaningful experiences happen in exciting new places. I can’t wait to discover what The New School and New York City have to offer.

Attending SUSIH as a graduate student opens doors to making friends, meeting heroes, learning content, exchanging ideas, and building an intellectual community. As a fifth-year graduate student, I find myself approaching my third consecutive SUSIH where I’m both on our executive committee and presenting. If I can answer your questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me through the SUSIH email [email protected], or even better, Direct Message me on Twitter, @TheOtherRBG.

[1]Also, at the 2017 conference, I befriended graduate student Andrew Klumpp, while volunteering together. I soon asked him to serve as Treasurer of the Society. He’s now the Treasurer, I’m still the Secretary, and he remains the epitome of an authentic, driven, kind, supportive colleague.

[2]Additionally, don’t miss my friendtor – friend and mentor – historian Lindsay Chervinsky’s 2019 e-book about conferencing.