Dr. Gregory Kaster is a professor of American History in the Gustavus History Department. Almost from the beginning Dr. Kaster knew that he wanted to teach history. This drove him to get his BA and MA from Northern Illinois University and his Ph.D from Boston University where he met his wife, Dr. Kate Wittenstein, during class. Within his field he has done extensive research on the language of white workingmen in the mid-1800s and how their words were rooted in part in the American Revolution.
Since coming to Gustavus in 1986 he has taught a wide variety of courses ranging from recent US history, to Hollywood Film, to the Civil War. This is one thing that Dr. Kaster enjoys so much about teaching at Gustavus. Since it is a smaller institution he does not have to only teach classes in his niche of historical expertise. Like his students, he too can broaden his horizons and teach a wider variety of courses that are not specific to his exact specialty of history.
In the coming semester, Dr. Kaster plans to teach 200 level courses like his Hollywood Film class, and Slavery and Freedom in the Atlantic World. Looking further into the future Dr. Kaster is working with Dr. Wittenstein and Dr. Marinari, both also in the History Department, on classes that take history to the present day. These classes would allow students to understand the complex history behind modern day issues from their roots into the present. Dr. Kaster is a professional and anyone with curiosity for about past, and who dares to ask why America is the way that it is today, should sign up for one of his upcoming courses.
Submitted by Dave Brazel ’17
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