By Jane Nguyen
Helen Murdoch, a UC Santa Barbara History Dept. alum and a history and social studies educator in the Santa Barbara Unified School District, is the new president of the UCSB History Associates.
Helen Murdoch, who received her master’s degree from UC Santa Barbara’s History Department, has spent more than two decades forging ties between the university and the Santa Barbara community, where she has taught history to K-12 students.
Now, as newly-elected president of UCSB History Associates, Murdoch will continue to strengthen the “town and gown” relationship, fundraising for UCSB historians, running a speaker series, and continuing to bring her fresh approach to history as an educator in the Santa Barbara Unified School District.
The UCSB History Associates started in 1987 with two main goals: to monetarily support UCSB history graduates and to bridge the university’s history faculty with the broader Santa Barbara community. Since the organization’s founding, it has raised more than half a million dollars to help finance history students during their graduate training.
As president of the History Associates, Murdoch bridges the community and UCSB with its public talks by history professors and graduate students that take place either at UC Santa Barbara or within the Santa Barbara community. Murdoch intends to use the speaker series to educate the community about history beyond the textbooks. The series has in the past featured presentations on themes such as gender roles in 19th century Japan and the collaboration of artists and engineers during the making of the Apollo.
The UC Santa Barbara History Associates’ first mailer, sketched by Barnaby Conrad in 1987.
“What is admirable is that she encourages discussion surrounding unique and challenging topics,” says UCSB history professor Giuliana Perrone, who chairs the department’s community relations and development committee. “I felt honored when she encouraged me to talk about heavy topics such as slavery and not to shy away from sharing their stories.”
In 1992, Murdoch received her master’s degree in history from UCSB, intending to pursue a PhD and become a professor like her father, who taught biology at UCSB. But during her graduate program, Murdoch realized she preferred teaching to research because of the direct connection with students. So Murdoch earned her teaching certification from UCSB in 1994 and taught in the classroom for about 15 years – keeping her foot in the history and social sciences field.
To emphasize the importance of inclusive history, Murdoch participates in a social media campaign called #DisruptHistory, a hashtag created by a group of history teachers that promotes inclusivity and a discussion of all historical narratives.
“History isn’t just white men,” Murdoch said. “There’s so much more beyond Manifest Destiny. We need to consider the voices we aren’t hearing and what we should be hearing.”
Murdoch wanted to be more involved with the K-12 history curriculum to encourage more student engagement in the subject. She remembers being bored by how history was taught when she was in high school, so she was determined to teach it in a more efficient, inclusive, and enriching way – showing students that history is alive and applies to them.
“My interest in history took a long time to develop because I did not enjoy the straight lectures, the emphasis on memorizing dates, and learning about the same narratives over and over again,” Murdoch recalled. “It’s time for students to understand the importance of history through a different approach in teaching curriculum, by showcasing these various narratives and counter-narratives.”
In her new position, Murdoch also acts as a role model for other UCSB history graduates who are interested in teaching-oriented careers. And her ties to the Santa Barbara area mean Murdoch serves as an invaluable resource for the university and its alumni.
“Education gets pounded on a lot,” Murdoch said. “As local educators we need to redeem history by coming together with the community, sink our teeth into the truths of history, and to showcase that history is not a one-sided narrative.”
Jane Nguyen is a fourth year UC Santa Barbara student majoring in Communication and minoring in Applied Psychology. She is a Web and Social Media Intern for the Division of Humanities and Fine Arts.